Across the Universe
by Writer-of-many-subjects
Summary: Alice was a detective in Scotland Yard one minute and then a space traveler the next. Stuck with a man called the Doctor she gets to experience time and space one step at a time. It was when she realized that perhaps everything was tied to the necklace she had gotten a long time ago did everything slowly come into fruition. 9-12/ OC bonded fic as well.
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own Doctor Who; in fact, it has ruined my life for a while now. I blame the tenth doctor for that. I only own my OC. 9-13 Doctor/OC! THIS WAS WRITTEN AS A DARE, THIS IS ALSO A BOND FIC! Right then, constructive criticism is welcomed! I've never written for a series like Doctor Who before so this will be interesting or OOC, or increasingly ignorant or stupid. With that, Allons-y!**

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Chapter 1. _Till there was you_

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17, March, 2019

The room was filled with a white noise of voices ranging from young and old, male and female. One woman, with short dark brown hair and ice blue eyes, sat in silence while playing with a pendant she had been gifted. This pendant was strange; it was covered in a writing of an unknown origin and had an orange orb in the middle that seemed to swirl with a golden dust. Her hands stopped their motions and she looked towards the clock.

"I believe we've talked long enough for today," She stated, her voice tinged with a Scottish accent, "Let's us go home to our families and spend quality time with normal people."

Laughter broke out at that and the room quickly filled with the sound of chairs scraping against wood. She stayed seated for a few seconds before getting up from her chair and grabbing the coat that was resting on the back. She pulled it on before heading out of the room. A few of her underlings greeted her on her way out. Her phone chimed and she pulled it out of her pocket.

Want to grab dinner tonight? - Stalker 6:30.

She sighed and blocked the number. He was getting increasingly persistent with his hacking. She wasn't interested in him; she wasn't interested in anybody really. Sometimes she felt as though there was someone out there meant to complete her, and she just hadn't found them yet. Boy or girl, she wasn't picky. Honestly, she just wanted to be happy. She opened to door to the building her flat was located in and her landlady bustled out of her flat.

"Welcome home dearie," The landlady greeted with a kind smile, "Catch any criminals today?"

"No," She chuckled, "Though that's a good thing since it means there wasn't a murder today, though I heard a woman had acid thrown on her by an extremist."

"That poor woman," The landlady gasped, "Hopefully she'll be all right."

"I agree," The woman replied, "I'm gonna head up and eat something, I'll see you tomorrow Mrs. Potter."

"Oh, your aunt came by with a package!" Mrs. Potter called, "She said you should wear it soon, something about you needing it."

"Thank you, Mrs. Potter!" The woman called from outside her flat door.

The door was opened and a relatively modern room stared back at her. White walls with dark wood flooring met her and she closed the door after she walked in. A tabby cat with a red and gold collar padded up to her and weaved in between her legs, rubbing against them.

"Hello Minerva," The woman greeted, stooping down and picking the cat up and giving it a kiss on the cheek, "You must've missed me with how loudly you're purring."

Minerva gave a chirp at that and a small smile appeared on the woman's face as she got a lick from the cat in her arms. She placed Minerva down and went to get the cat her food for the night. Soon a small portion of wet food on top of dry food was placed on the ground for Minerva. It took two seconds for the tabby to pad forward and begin to eat. The woman smiled and looked towards the package that sat on her dining room table. It was in a black box with a blue bow.

"Auntie's been spending too much at Harrods again," The woman muttered as she pulled out a Kiton K designer black suit.

It had to be around forty- five thousand pounds. She sighed and decided to take a shower before trying it on. A shower only took her ten minutes. She messed with the cuffs a little and wondered if she still had the cufflinks her aunt had gotten her for her promotion to detective inspector of the division for homicide. She found them and placed them into the cuffs of the suit. The star cut sapphires glittered in the light of her room and she looked towards the mirror attached to the wall. She looked like a man, the short hair didn't help the fact, but if she was a man she'd say she was a damn handsome one. A white dress shirt, black tie, and black suit were the way to go. She even pulled on a nice pair of dress shoes to go with the entire ensemble. She grabbed her phone and snapped a picture of her reflection before sending it to her auntie.

"Right, I should really eat something," She muttered to herself.

She walked back outside and noted that Minerva had perched on the windowsill to watch the outside world. She smiled as she took out her pendant and began to play with it again. The orb moved in its spot and she could move it any way she pleased. Long, skinny fingers did just that.

"Am I odd Minerva?" She quietly asked as she grabbed an apple and bit into it.

The tabby in question just gave her a look before turning her attention back to the window. The woman smiled at that and quickly finished her food. She wanted to go out and buy some fresh groceries. The market a block away from her flat was usually open until midnight so she had time. She stood up and found her messenger bag, coat, and a blue scarf before heading out of the flat.

"Very dashing Alice," Her elderly neighbor stated before heading into her flat.

"Thank you, Mrs. Watson," Alice called.

She smiled before continuing on her way. She had a mental list of what she needed. She had no clue why she always needed milk of all things. She was beginning to wonder if someone came in and used it while she was away. She didn't really mind since she lived with a lot of elderly people. She just wished they'd let her know. She had gotten so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed when her foot hadn't met the concrete of the sidewalk. She looked down when she finally noticed and her skin paled even more as she began to fall through a random hole of darkness. A scream was the final sound that the people of her street would hear from her as it closed behind her.

9, February, 1964

A man with a military cut, brown hair moved around a strange room. It had a metal floor and a large pillar in the middle with a light green, which was on the verge of becoming turquoise, tube. Wires hung from the ceiling and it didn't even seem to faze the man as he easily maneuvered through the area. He went around pulling levers and pushing buttons without a second thought. He heard a wheeze and looked up towards the ceiling of the room. A large hole of darkness had appeared and he heard a scream from the inside as someone fell from the hole and slammed into the lower levels of the room. The hole let out a burp and dissipated.

"That was fantastic!" The man exclaimed in a slightly giddy tone.

It was something new to him. He had never seen space be ripped apart in such a way and manipulated as a pathway. He heard a feminine groan and went to the railing of the platform. A woman, he will admit that he noticed her curves right away, with dark hair had stood up and was rubbing a spot on her forehead as she blearily looked around.

"Someone get the plates of the bus that hit me?" She asked he noted the Scottish accent.

"That was no bus," He spoke up, she immediately looked towards him, "It was a rip in space and time, perhaps the universe even! It's fantastic!"

Her eyes met his and his brain seemed to quiet down for a few seconds. He watched as she seemed to experience similar effects before gathering herself. He couldn't be more ecstatic if he tried. He heard searched everywhere for a person just like her. A bond, even if it was on the weaker side, was something he was used to seeing with those around him. He had never found his, until today. She was even dropped off right in front of him.

"You think this is fantastic?" Her voice was cold, "I just got removed from my universe and or time. I have a job and life back there and I'm expected to be happy about this?"

"Yeah," He stated, "It's not every day you see something new like that."

"All right then," She sighed, "Who are you?"

"I'm the Doctor," He introduced.

"Really? Just the Doctor?" She asked.

He deflated a bit when she hadn't asked 'Doctor Who?' that was his favorite question from people. He gave her a large smile and nodded. She let out a sigh before gaining an amused expression.

"I'm Alice Smith, Detective Inspector of the Murder Division at Scotland Yard," She introduced herself.

She held out a hand and he gladly took it and gave it a shake. She had the oddest hands, small palms but long fingers. Delicate was one way that he could describe them. Alice herself couldn't help but notice how rough his hands were. They stopped shaking hands and Alice finally looked around.

"Did I fall into a science fiction world?" She asked in slight amusement, "it's almost apocalyptic in here, but I love it."

"You seem the type to have everything in order," He pointed out, though he was happy she liked his ship.

"I do, but it's more of habit than anything else," Alice smiled.

The Doctor looked towards the door and watched as blue eyes looked around the inside again. He got her attention with a small cough and looked at him in slight surprise. He held a hand out and gave her a grin.

"Want to see what's outside of those doors?" He asked.

She hesitated for a few seconds before taking his hand. His grin widened at that.

"Fantastic," He stated before leading the way out of his ship.

Once the doors opened women's screams startled the two as he pulled her away from the blue police box. Alice's eyes widened at what was around them. This was an area she had only seen in magazines and videos. A grin appeared on her face as the Doctor lead her to the front row of women. They were all screaming as a man walked onto the stated.

"Here are The Beatles!" The man stated.

Alice let out a giddy laugh as the first chords of _all my Loving_ began to play. The Doctor smiled as she sang along to the music as the four men played their hearts out for all of America. The four lads from Liverpool shared a grin after the first song was over before they started on the second. Two of the people in front were enjoying their music and that surprised them since most people acted like the women in the audience, _Till There was you_ began and they heard the screaming increase and noticed that the two in front mainly looked amused. They focused on their music and forgot about the two.

"Doctor, this is fantastic!" Alice stated it was loud enough for the man next to her to hear, "Does that mean you're a time traveler?"

"That's close, keep guessing," The Doctor admitted.

"You mean it can travel through space as well?" Alice asked, her mind working it out for her, "Bless me bagpipes, are you an alien?"

"Ten out of ten for observation," The Doctor smiled.

"You are so northern," Alice stated.

"What, all planets have a North," The Doctor defended.

She shot him a look at that and turned her attention back to the band. They took a small break for interviews and she ran a hand through her hair. Sweat was going down her face and she noticed that several of the people around her were sweaty. She had to admit that it was rather warm in the studio.

"No air conditioning," The Doctor stated, "Bit of a problem in small studios with audiences like this."

"Yeah, but they overfilled the room for these lads," Alice replied, "So it's the number of bodies in the room that's causing this much heat."

He looked at her in slight amusement. He hadn't met a person that could survey a room and then point out what they had seen. Alice finally tore her eyes away from the interview and gave him a small smile as she met his eyes. She turned back and the four lads began to play their last two songs. The screaming grew louder and the smell in the studio had taken on a very potent scent.

I Saw Her Standing There and I Want to Hold Your Hand ended up being unbearable as the screaming increased tenfold. Alice felt a pang of sympathy go out to the four lads as they continued playing with a smile on their faces. Their ears had to hurt from the amount of noise that was in the room, she knew that hers were. After the setlist ended the four boys gave a bow and the noise increased even more. They straightened up and headed off the stage to travel to the next interview.

A hand grabbing her's scared Alice as she turned to see the Doctor looking around with a slightly amused expression. He began to follow the river of people leaving the studio and she had no choice but to follow. A few of the women around them began to whisper and for the first time since she began her job, Alice felt self-conscious. It was a weird feeling and not one that she really wanted to feel. They headed into the police box and she closed the doors as the Doctor headed up to the console and pulled a lever. A loud whirring sound filled the air and Alice looked around in confusion before realizing what it was.

"What's your ship called?" She asked, "Because she's brilliant!"

"T.A.R.D.I.S," The Doctor informed her, "Time and relative dimension in space."

Alice smiled at that and removed her coat and scarf. She placed it on a nearby coat hanger and decided not to question it. She headed towards the central console and watched as a pump moved up and down in the tube. She was amazed at the pump as it stayed at the top and the noise stopped.

"So, where are we going next Doctor?" Alice asked.

The Doctor grinned at that, for the first time in his miserable life he was feeling happy. He was downright giddy. His mind filled with thousands of ideas and places that he could show her, but he needed to stop at a rift and refuel.

"A healed time rift, I need to refuel the Tardis and then we'll be off before you know it," The Doctor stated.

"Brilliant, you mind if I explore?" She asked looking at the main console.

There were a wheezing sound and a smile spread across Alice's face. The Tardis has answered her out of all odds. A childlike glee showed on her face as a door swung open and she walked through it. The Doctor stood there in surprise before looking towards the console.

"Usually it takes you a while to warm up to people," He commented in an offhand way.

A wheeze was his reply and he frowned slightly. He was a tiny bit confused about what his ship meant. He stood up a little straighter as his frown increased.

"What do you mean she has the air of a Time Lady? She's human, you scanned her yourself," He pointed out.

Another wheeze. He let out an annoyed breath at that. He wasn't going to lose his temper with his beloved ship. She had been there for him through everything and he wasn't going to lose his temper. He ran a hand down his face and slightly wondered what he looked like. He hadn't really seen his face since he woken up from his regeneration.

"She has a singular pulse," He stated, "She's from a different universe that could be the reason."

There was a series of wheezing and he blinked in surprise. He hadn't known that. The Tardis has noticed something very important. Something that he hadn't realized had been done.

"That makes sense," He admitted, "How long does she have?"

It was a relatively sad wheeze that came to him. He leaned against the railing and looked down at the metal plating. A wheeze sounded again and he felt a spark of hope.

"That's a chance I'm willing to take!" He grinned, "Oh that is fantastic! Where is she now?"

An amused wheeze gave him his answer and he entered through the door that Alice had previously gone through. He briskly walked down a long metallic hallway and took a right at an intersection. A door was open and he looked into it. Alice was staring up at a celestial hologram and exploring the stars in a relatively safe way. She was stuck staring at a planet that was far too familiar to him.

"Enjoying yourself?" He asked.

"I was, but this one makes me sad," She stated, murmuring the last part of her sentence, "How weird."

He decided not to comment on that as she began to move around the galaxies. He was impressed that she had figured out how to work it as she pressed a planet and read what it was. With a flick of her finger, she traveled towards her home solar system.

"This technology is centuries of advancement," She stated, "Color me impressed, but if it fell into the wrong hands it would change history. Wouldn't it?"

"You put a lot of thought into this," He commented.

"I'm a quick thinker, I have to be when I'm investigating a case," Alice stated, "Also I'm taking my A levels for physics this is part of the theory that we learned."

He stayed quiet at that and momentarily forgot what he was going to do as she watched the sun with a calculated gaze. She pressed it and tilted her head slightly. She then made a face.

"There are only a thousand or so years left until the sun expands into a red giant," She pointed out, "I can't wait to miss that."

"You wouldn't want to see the end of the Earth?" He asked in surprise.

"If you asked me a few years ago I would've loved to see it," Alice admitted, "But, years of working a job where you see the worst of people and the best makes you appreciate the planet a bit. It would be depressing to see so much history just disappears in the span of a few seconds. Sorry, I got a little too lost in thought."

She looked sheepish at that and he had to wonder if she had ever shared her thoughts with people. He felt for the bond and could see it, it was indeed weak but it was one that could grow and he was excited to see if it would.


	2. Chapter 2

**I might've had fun writing this chapter.**

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Chapter 2. _Vesuvius_

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The sounds of clanking metal filled the console room as the Tardis moved through space and time. Alice hung onto the railing as the Doctor easily piloted the ship. A rather large bump caused her to cling to the railing as a whirring sound let her know that they were materializing in their destination. A sigh of relief passed through her lips as the Doctor checked the date with a mad grin.

"Vesuvius in the year thirty twenty-seven," The Doctor stated, "Not the volcano but the planet."

"Does it have a volcano on it?" Alice asked as she relaxed her grip on the railing and sent to Tardis an apologetic look.

"Oh, you mean the Volcano Herculaneum? It sits next to New Pompeii," The Doctor stated.

"I guess if it isn't broke don't fix it," Alice muttered, "I'm going to stick out like a sore thumb."

She pulled off the suit jacket and hung it next to her coat before she opened the doors. She was greeted to a beautiful sight. Birds of bright colors flew in the sky and trees were everywhere as they traveled up the side of a volcano. She eyed that volcano in slight dislike before stepping out of the Tardis completely.

"Is it dormant?" She asked as the Doctor joined her.

"Mostly, it's supposed to erupt in the next three years," The Doctor admitted, "but they evacuate everyone this time."

"I guess that's as good as I'm going to get," She muttered as she noticed something familiar, "Are we in a vineyard?"

The Doctor looked around and noted all the grapevines in the area. He frowned and realized that the Tardis had landed in the wrong spot. He silently cursed the faulty navigational system. Granted, it did give him some rather nice surprises every once and a while. He grasped Alice's right hand and began to move through the vineyard until he could hear the bustle of people moving around.

"Doctor," She started as she looked at all the people.

"Hm?" He asked with a slight grin.

"They're all red," She stated in amazement.

"Vesuvians, they evolved that way due to the planet's heat, it helps protect their skin," The Doctor stated as he headed towards a cash exchange, "It's a number one tourist destination because of the vineyards. Sadly they don't grow bananas."

"Indeed, that entire extra supply of potassium and they don't have it," Alice joked as the Doctor pulled out his Sonic Screwdriver and overridden the system, "Is that a screwdriver?"

"Of course, you never know when you'll have to install cabinetry," The Doctor grinned.

"Of course!" Alice agreed in a high pitched voice.

He fixed her a look and noted that she was giving him a teasing grin. He finally got into the cash exchange and was able to get a few hundred Aureus. He slipped some into Alice's hands and she looked at him in surprise.

"They use Roman currency? That's odd for an alien planet," Alice stated with a frown.

"They came from Humans, some history stuck with them," The Doctor stated.

"I see, not a very common fact though," Alice pointed out, "I only knew that due to reading books."

"You don't watch the Telly?" The Doctor asked.

"I don't own one," She shrugged as a few kids raced by her, "I'm not home that often and when I am it's spent taking care of my cat and sleeping."

He looked at her in surprise and she shrugged. She knew she didn't really have a life. She noted that there were very few people that looked similar to her walking around. She figured that they were tourists. She turned to ask the Doctor something and noted that he had been studying her.

"Is there something on my face?" She asked.

"No, let's explore shall we?" He stated as he offered her an arm.

She took it and they began to walk around. He looked around and wondered if there were no problems on the planet. He could've sworn he had gotten a distress call from the planet. Alice tightened her hold on his arm and it got his attention. She was being catcalled by a few of the local Vesuvians. He gained an annoyed expression on his face as she sighed and shook her head.

"Honestly," She muttered, "I guess people are the same no matter what time."

"It is a part of human nature that never truly disappeared," The Doctor admitted.

"This reminds me of a less tropical Hawaii," Alive chuckled, "Not as humid but just as lovely. How are they all speaking English?"

"It's the Tardis's telepathic field, it gets inside your head and helps translate it for you," The Doctor grinned.

"She's bloody brilliant, but it is a bit of an invasion of privacy," She stated, she patted her pockets and frowned before pulling her phone out of them.

He looked at it in surprise and she frowned in confusion. She hadn't grabbed her phone. At least she didn't think she did. She pressed the home button and the screen lit up and a picture of a yawning Minerva met her.

"What year were you from?" The Doctor asked.

"Twenty eighteen," Alice responded, "Do they not have smartphones in this timeline?"

He held a hand out and she reluctantly gave it to him. He used the sonic screwdriver on it to see if he could enhance its phone range. It blinked a couple times and the screen stayed lit. The lock screen was something that he hated to admit that he found rather adorable. He had a small fondness for cats.

"What's her name?" He asked.

"Minerva," Alice replied as he handed it back.

"After the goddess or book character?" The Doctor asked.

"Book character, no one's been able to guess that one," Alice chuckled.

The Doctor smiled at that and the two headed into a large building. Alice noted that the building had been based off the Coliseum. There was the sound of a roaring crowd as they walked in. A man dressed in a gladiatorial style stopped them at the door.

"This area is reserved for guests only," The man stated.

"We are guests, I'm the Doctor and this is my wife," The Doctor grinned as he pulled out a wallet from his jacket and opened it.

The man looked at the wallet as Alice gave the Doctor a look of confusion and slight annoyance as she started to figure things out. The man opened the door for them and they walked through. As soon as it closed behind them she fixed the Doctor a look.

"Is this planet just like Hawaii?" Alice asked, "It seems like a honeymoon planet."

The Doctor stayed quiet at that and Alice narrowed her eyes at him. He was smart enough to keep a blank expression on his face as they took a seat near the balcony. She set her attention on what was going on and he sighed in relief. He had gone so long without being hit by a companion and he'd like to keep it that way. The sound of a bell rang through the area and Alice gained a confused expression before a group of people in shackles were walked out into the arena. She went to ask something when a two-headed tiger was released. Her eyes widened in horror at the carnage acted out below her. She felt disgusted at this and anger welled up inside of her. She was a part of Scotland Yard; she joined to stop things such as this.

"Alice?" The Doctor called.

He noticed how pale she had gone from how angry and upset she was. Her face was impassive and nearly blank, save for a slight tick in her jaw muscles. He looked towards her hands and noticed that they were fisted into her suit pants. Her grip was so tight that her knuckles were a pure white. The spectacle ended and the crowd began to clap. Alice quickly stood up and briskly walked out. He followed after her and watched as she leaned against a nearby pillar.

"Doctor, I joined Scotland Yard to put a stop to innocent deaths," Alice stated, "To stop people from suffering, I'm…I'm going to walk around for a while."

She took off and he didn't have time to say anything as he looked back towards the arena. Vesuvius never had any problems with spectacles such as this. He decided to let Alice cool down before he went and talked to her. He had matters to deal with for now. He headed towards a stairway and quietly walked down them. He had to get to the bottom of this.

Alice was walking around a small shopping area with her hands in her pockets. She could feel the money that had been given to her bump against her left hand. She let out a sigh and ran a hand through her hair. She was trying to understand that she was on a different planet and they had different rules. Someone tapped her shoulder and she turned to see a red-haired woman.

"Can I help you?" Alice politely asked.

"You should be careful with that," The woman stated, she pointed at the pendant around her neck, "If that breaks everything will change. Oh, I have something you'll need."

"What do you mean by that?" Alice asked, something was forced into her hand and the woman started to sprint away, "Wait, Miss?"

Alice started to run after the redhead and when the woman took a turn and she went as well the woman disappeared. Blue eyes widely looked around in confusion as she searched for the woman. She was breathing heavily and she took a few seconds to catch her breath. She looked down at the object that had been given to her. She frowned at the object that was very similar to the Doctor's screwdriver. She pressed the button and it let out a buzz as the tip lit up into a silver light.

"A sonic wand?" She questioned in an amused tone, "I guess I'm Harry Potter now."

There was a small screen on the side that had letters and numbers traveling across pressed the button again and the tip lit up. A small chuckle came from her and she quickly stowed it inside the pocket of her dress shirt. She spun on her heel and quietly questioned where she was. The stalls were filled with confusing items and she passed them as she looked at them. She turned around and decided to backtrack to the main shopping area.

She found it eventually and she sighed in relief at the sight of a few more human tourists. She placed her hands back into her pockets and strolled down the cobbled road. She only made it halfway when someone came behind her and grabbed onto her elbow. Another one did as well. She made a face as she looked at the familiar armor of the guards of New Pompeii.

"You are under arrest for trespassing upon New Pompeii," A guard gruffly stated.

"But I'm here with my husband," Alice meekly stated.

"You are missing the wristband that all tourists are given," The guard stated as they dragged her towards the Coliseum, "All prisoners are to fight for their lives in the Coliseum."

"Oh bugger me," Alice whispered in a quiet voice, she was going to have to put her training to use.

She took a deep breath as the shadow of the building created a cold burst of air. She was pushed into a cell and she stumbled slightly and glared at them as she straightened her clothes. A part of her was hoping that the Doctor would notice that she was missing, but she wasn't putting much hope into that line of thought. She pulled out her sonic wand and held it to the iron lock. The buzzing was quiet but the sonic didn't do anything for the lock.

"I have no clue how to use this, I'd thought that'd work," She muttered as she put it into her pocket again.

She sat down on the ground and decided to wait for her incoming death. She laid her head against the wall and watched as guards passed by every so often. Someone passed by and she tensed slightly when they backtracked towards her. She made a face as the Doctor turned and looked into the cell. She gave a sarcastic wave and he raised a brow.

"Why are you in there?" He asked.

"I wasn't properly tagged," Alice stated, "Apparently all tourists are marked with a specific band."

He made a face of understanding at that and used his screwdriver against the cell's lock. A guard was coming towards them and Alice got up and headed towards the bars. She covered the Doctor's hand and he looked up in surprise.

"Go, don't get caught," Alive told him, "Investigate what the hell is going on, I can handle myself."

The Doctor gained a torn expression before giving her a curt nod and running off. He hid behind a corner and watched as some guards came by her cell and unlocked the door. She didn't look scared if anything she looked calm. Her eyes caught his own and she gave him a slight nod. She needed him to go off and figure out what was going on.

"You will be given a choice of one weapon to use," The guards informed her, "Choose wisely."

The Doctor watched as she went towards a harpoon-like weapon with a chain attached it and picked it up with ease. She looked towards the guards and they grabbed onto her arms and began to drag her towards the arena. He inhaled sharply and continued his investigation. He was running out of time and he wasn't finding what he needed to find.

He headed down a hallway and noted a very particular door. It was the first thing made of titanium or metal if he wanted to be technical, that he had seen on Vesuvius. He headed towards it and pressed the sonic against the electronic door opener that turned out to be a small panel next to the door. After a few seconds the door unlocked and he slipped into the room. He looked around and saw all the television screens around the room. It suddenly clicked for him and his expression darkened.

On one of the screens, Alice stood in the arena with the sleeves of her shirt rolled up and the weapon in her hands. He could see the scars that littered her arms in clarity on the screens. The fight began and she lightly held onto the weapon before launching it towards the large man that she was pitted against. He clenched his jaw as she recalled the deflected weapon. Their fight was a game of wits against brawns. She may have been tall but she was able to swiftly duck and dodge the attacks sent her way. She used the chain and made the man turn his own weapon against himself. She gained a sad face and he watched the self-hatred shine through before it was quickly wiped away from her face.

"This has gone on for too long," The Doctor stated before the screens gained a countdown.

He knew that couldn't be good.

Screams filled the area as a dark expression filled his face. He ran from the room and headed towards the arena. Alice was standing around looking in confusion as people screamed. He headed towards her and grabbed her hand and began to run from the building. He hadn't expected the entire ground to shake as they made their way through the city and towards the vineyard. The people who were rushing around and screaming were relatively too busy to notice the two running into the vineyard.

"Doctor, I think the Volcano is going to blow," Alice stated.

"That's the self-destruct button, someone set up the planet for failure," The Doctor stated as it began to rain ash.

They made it to the Tardis and the Doctor quickly opened the doors and got Alice in first. She waited for him and started to help him by following his orders. She didn't want to die anytime soon. Her hair was sticking to her pale face from sweat and just a little bit of blood.

"Hold that lever down and keep that button pressed!" The Doctor ordered.

Alice gave a stiff nod and she did just as he asked. He didn't decide a time yet, but just traveling through the time rift was good enough for now. The Tardis began whirring and even Alice could hear the panic that the Tardis was in. Eventually, the ship began to shake and the Doctor let out a breath of relief. He noticed how stretched Alice was and gave her a nod. She released the lever and button with a small sigh of relief.

"Remind me not to go on a date with you for a while," She lightly teased, "Though my mum used to say that near-death experiences are good for relationships."

The Doctor let out a sharp laugh at that and she smiled. He walked towards her and he was surprised when she gave him a hug. She was trembling slightly and he had to wonder how many times she had put her life on the line before. He slowly wrapped his arms around her and could feel the bond growing just a little.

"I haven't been that scared in two years," Alice admitted, pulling away from him, "I've been shot and drugged, but never placed in an arena."

"Drugged?" The Doctor asked.

"It's a long story, involving two squads of investigators and one man who danced with the famous," Alice chuckled fondly, "We never did catch him."

She didn't sound too upset at that. He watched as she ran a hand down her face before grimacing. She didn't know that the man would bleed purple blood. She thought that he might've been her species of human but she guessed she was wrong. Now she was covered in a purple substance that covered her shirt in large patches.

"You got a shower or something?" She asked.

A door opening gave her the answer. She gave the Doctor a strained smile and headed through it. He waited until she was gone before letting out a breath of disbelief. He couldn't believe how close they had been to dying. He looked towards the middle console and decided to check back in 2005 to see if anything was amiss there.

It was when he was landing that Alice came back with wet hair and new clothes. He looked up and noticed that she had changed into a black jumper and a pair of black jeans. Her shoes had become sand colored converse with a red band on the bottom. She looked small in those clothes as she crossed her arms across her chest, a towel rested on her shoulders to catch the droplets of water that fell from her hair.

"So where are we going now?" She grinned.

"Two thousand and five, I'm getting strange readings from that time," The Doctor stated.

"I would've been seven at the time," Alice smiled in amusement.

"You're only twenty?" The Doctor asked.

"Yeah, I've been at my job for three years and I excelled at it," Alice grinned.

He grinned back and he was delighted when she blushed slightly and looked away. She looked towards the weapon and narrowed her eyes at it. She grabbed it and placed it against the coat hanger until she could dispose of it without changing the future. That was something she never thought she had to worry about. She wondered how weird her life was going to get.


	3. Chapter 3

**The chapters get progressively longer from here on out, but don't worry there will still be original chapters!**

* * *

Chapter 3. _Rose_

* * *

"So what are we looking for this time?" Alice asked as she smiled at the Doctor.

"Auton's," The Doctor replied, "Apparently they've decided that Earth is a perfect home for them."

"Is it because of plastic or oil?" Alice asked, "Or the pollution?"

"You are very good at this," The Doctor complimented and he got a soft smile in response.

He moved towards the door to the rooms in the Tardis and she followed behind him. He was looking for something specific. He could hear her walking behind him. He entered a room where the technology storage was. Alice stopped in her tracks and looked around in amazement.

"This is incredible," Alice stated.

A wheeze met her ears and she looked around in slight confusion before heading towards a small metal tube. She picked it up and it powered up. A small holographic screen appeared and she made an amused sound before touching a small word document app. She could read the writing on the tablet, even if it wasn't in English.

"Found something have you?" The Doctor asked.

"It's a holographic tablet," Alice stated, "It would've made physics easier. Alas, it's not my technology."

She pressed the main button and the holographic screen vanished. The Doctor looked at her in surprise before holding out an earpiece for her. She looked at him in slight confusion. She held out a hand and he dropped it onto it.

"We don't need another Vesuvius happening," The Doctor stated.

Alice easily placed the earpiece next to her ear and it automatically attached itself and fit comfortably in her ear. She could hear a bit of white noise but other than that she could hear normally. The Doctor watched her get used to it before speaking.

"We should be able to communicate with ease, they have a very long communication range," The Doctor stated, smiling slightly when she jumped.

"Right, better than walkie-talkies," Alice stated.

He let out a laugh at that and the two left the room. She grabbed her coat and he watched as she looked for something. She pulled out a wallet and quickly shuffled through the bills inside. She put some back in her wallet but the placed the others inside her coat.

"I have a few circa twenty o'four bills and some older ones as well," Alice stated, "Hopefully they'll work in this universe."

"They should, cashiers usually didn't check smaller bills until a few years from now," The Doctor stated.

Alice muttered in agreement at that and placed the wallet inside her pocket with her sonic wand. She couldn't help but quietly question the name, it sounded like a specialty toy. She headed towards the doors and opened them. The sound of a busy city caught her attention and she smiled. It wasn't her London, but it was the one that she could remember from her childhood. The Doctor followed her out and locked the Tardis doors behind him. He then placed a spare key in Alice's back pocket. He was surprised that she hadn't felt that.

"Do we split up?" She asked waving at an elderly woman who was looking at them with a sly smirk, "I think she believes we've just been snogging in the Tardis."

"We can split up," The Doctor answered before he gained a wistful expression, "Some people have no common decency."

Alice gave a small chuckle at that and gave him a small hug before heading her own way. The Doctor stood there for a few seconds while a large grin plastered itself on his face. He then grew serious; he had an Auton to track down. He had a feeling that it was connected to something even worse. He was glad that he could at least protect Alice from this one. He had grabbed a bomb and some anti-plastic to do the job. He took out his sonic screwdriver and started to head towards different shops. He needed to find the main shop with a large supply of mannequins. It was going to take him a while.

Alice was having a better time as she walked around. Her hair may have been short, but most people stopped her to ask where she had gotten it done. She would always answer that her landlady did it, which was true since Mrs. Potter loved her hair for some unknown reason. She gave a few smiles before heading towards a lone ATM and pulling out her wand. She turned it on and used it like the Doctor had, soon enough she was five hundred pounds richer. She stayed quiet as she pocketed the cash and the receipt before heading down a shopping area. The Doctors end on the communication system was quiet and she hoped he was doing all right. She almost stopped in her tracks and she felt worried. She knew he was a capable man who could take care of himself; she just didn't want him to get hurt. She ducked into an alleyway and pulled out her phone. She unlocked it and went into her contacts. Her Aunt stood out and she sent a small text to the number.

 _How do you know if you have a crush on someone?_ - **Alice** 11:20 a.m.

She waited for a few minutes and slowly got discouraged when there was no reply. It was placed in her pocket with a sad expression playing on her face. She had forgotten that she was stuck in a universe without an ability to communicate with her loved ones, who mainly consisted of Mrs. Potter and her Aunt; her Uncle could jump in a hole for all she cared. She exited the alley way and headed towards the nearest shop. The smell of paper grabbed her attention and she smiled as she examined the book store. She had wanted to get something to do when there was downtime on the Tardis, if she was going to be stuck in this universe then she wanted a book or two. She walked up and down the aisle before coming to a stop in front of a large blue journal. She lifted a hand and felt the cover. It was dyed leather and she was in heaven. She picked it up and noted that it was barely twenty pounds. She had gone to Barnes and Noble once and something similar had cost her sixty pounds. She grabbed two, the blue and a black one. She even grabbed a fountain pen with a calligraphy tip. She had a feeling that she would never run out of ink on the Tardis. For a book, she grabbed a few Sherlock Homes books and the _Lord of the Rings_.

"I should probably head back," Alice muttered as she stepped back outside with her purchases in a bag.

She stretched slightly and headed back to the Tardis. She tried the doors and noticed that they were locked. She sighed at that and checked her pockets and found a key in her back pocket. She chuckled slightly at that and unlocked the Tardis door before walking in. A wheeze greeted her and she smiled.

"I guess he's still looking for the Auton's," Alice stated as she set her bag down on the ground.

The door for the hallway opened and she picked her bag up once again. She had no clue where her messenger bag had gone. Actually, she questioned where her suit jacket had gone. Her Aunt would kill her if she lost it. Alice went down the hallway and a door opened up. She stepped through it and looked around in shock. Her room stared back at her.

"Right, the telepathic field," Alice muttered as she ran a hand across the black velvet duvet that rested on her bed, "Thank you, Tardis."

A wheeze sounded and Alice smiled softly as she placed her purchases on the dark wood desk. She unloaded everything and smiled upon seeing the messenger bag resting against the desk. The Tardis had figured out her habits. She eyed the weapon situated on the wall in slight dislike before pulling her coat on the back of the chair. She tossed the Tardis key in the air before catching it. She frowned and headed back out of the room and made her way back to the main console.

"Auton's, there's something controlling them for the planetary resources," She muttered as she continued to think about what could be controlling them, "Is there a way to scan for alien life forms on the planet?"

The Tardis was quiet and Alice wondered if she had overstepped her boundaries. The Tardis gave a positive sound and Alice grunted when something metallic hit her head before clanking to the floor. She stooped down and picked it up. It was the holo-pad from earlier.

"Right," Alice stated, "Is there a reason I can read this language? I know you're able to translate alien languages into English for me, but I can read this just fine."

The Tardis didn't answer at that and Alice shrugged. She guessed she'd figure it out eventually. She pressed a map app and looked for an ability to scan. A frown made itself known on her face as she realized she didn't have a piece of the Auton to use for the scanner. She exited out of the map app and turned the holo-pad off. She placed it in the front pocket of her jeans with the sonic wand.

"I'll be right back," She told the Tardis.

A wheeze answered her and she smiled at that. She opened the Tardis doors and looked around in confusion. It had been daytime not even a few minutes ago. She wondered if time passed differently while she was in the Tardis. She scratched the back of her head before jumping at the sound of an explosion. She closed the Tardis doors and almost ran into a blonde holding a mannequin arm.

"Sorry!" The blonde called before continuing her running.

Alice stood there for a few seconds before heading back into the Tardis. It had been colder outside than what she had been anticipating. She rubbed her hands up and down her arms and slowly got worried about the Doctor. She almost screamed when the door opened with a bang. Her hand went to her hip where her gun was usually located.

"What are you going to do, shoot blanks at me?" The Doctor asked.

"Sorry, a force of habit," Alice apologetically smiled.

The Doctor raised his brows at that and she kept eye contact with him. She wasn't ashamed for doing what she was trained to do. Be prepared for an attack, even if there was a slight chance of there actually being one. The Doctor headed to the console and began to think. He had a scrap from the Auton and he placed it in the Tardis's scanner. Alice took out the Holo-pad and turned it on before joining him near the scanner. She was already in the map app and using the scanner. He raised a brow at her and she ignored him.

"Do you enjoy this?" He asked.

"I enjoy a good mystery, but people are in danger Doctor," Alice stated, "Three years of training and investigations can't be deleted."

"Why did you become a cop?" The Doctor asked as the two devices attempted to find more Auton's.

Alice was quiet before as she thought about not telling him. She was stuck with him until she could find a way home. He deserved to know. She let out a quiet sigh.

"My mum and dad were murder when I was ten," Alice stated, "Right in front of me by a man who wanted my mum's jewelry. It was a little Batman in origin, but I decided to join the police force instead of dressing up like a bat and beating up criminals."

"I'm sorry," The Doctor stated, the bond had strengthened enough for him to feel her sadness.

"Don't be, it wasn't your fault and I've been told such things for ten years," Alice stated with a small smile, "I'd rather people ask about my parents in a fond way, not a sad one."

She let out a small yawn and he realized that she had been running constantly for three days. She looked tired with dark circles under her eyes. She propped the Holo-pad up on the main console and headed towards the hallway. He gave a soft chuckle as a door was closed in the distance. The Tardis wheezed at him and his lips twitched into a true smile.

"That she is," The Doctor agreed, "It is still odd seeing you like a human."

The Tardis gave him a slightly angry wheeze at that as she corrected him. He made a face before looking back down at the scanner. He was going to have to wait a while. He ran a hand down his face at that and leaned against the railing. He hated waiting. He removed his jacket and placed it on the railing as he grabbed his screwdriver and opened a metal plate. He had time to fix a few of the loose wires. He didn't know how long he had been down there when he heard footsteps approaching. A shock of electricity from the Tardis got him to jump to his feet while sending the ship a look.

"You okay?" Alice asked blue eyes wide in surprise.

"Fantastic," He replied as he placed the panel back and pulled his jacket back on.

"If you say so," Alice muttered as she picked her holo-pad back up and looked at the red dot blinking at her, "It's showing up on the scanner. Apparently, it's in an apartment complex."

He looked over her shoulder with slight ease. He was a head or so taller than her. He noted that the complex was close to the Tardis. The holo-pad was turned off and placed into the pocket of a pair of distressed skinny jeans as Alice began to move towards the doors. He was stunned for a few seconds before following after her.

"Any idea what could be controlling the Auton's?" Alice asked, she looked towards him and he was vaguely reminded of another Smith that had been on board the Tardis at one point.

"I'd need a bigger sample," He truthfully stated, "I can track it in a more efficient way and get an idea of what it is."

"Well, it seems to be able to control mannequins, perhaps a radio or something similar?" Alice suggested.

"You are brilliant," The Doctor grinned, "Absolutely fantastic! All we need now is the arm and then we can track the signal and find who is controlling them and ask them to leave."

"We're doing peaceful negotiations? I like it," Alice stated as they headed towards the flat where the signal had come from.

The Doctor knelt and Alice stopped him with a look of amusement as she raised a hand and knocked on the flat door. He stood up straight as a female voice gave a muffled call. The door was opened by a blonde girl who looked up at the Doctor in shock before turning to Alice in confusion.

"What're you doing here?" The Doctor asked in confusion.

"I live here," The girl answered.

"People do tend to live in flats Doctor," Alice smiled at him in amusement, "Sorry about him, did he do something to offend you?"

"He only blew up my job," The girl stated as she gave the Doctor a look.

"Of course he did," Alice muttered before perking up a little, "Did we get the wrong signal?"

"You're not plastic, are you?" The Doctor asked before giving the girl a knock on the head, "Nope, bonehead. Bye, then. Come on Alice."

The two turned to leave when the girl grabbed a hold of them and dragged them into the flat. Alice fixed her blue jumper and gained a miffed expression. The Doctor had a slightly similar expression before his turned to curiosity.

"Who is it?" A woman called from a room inside the flat.

The girl walked away from them and Alice looked at the Doctor as he slowly followed suit. She sighed before following as well.

"It's about last night. They're part of the inquiry," The Girl stated, "Give us ten minutes."

She then walked past the room and the Doctor followed after with Alice in tow. She almost ran into him when he stopped when the woman spoke to him. Alice shot him a dirty look before she walked around him to follow the girl.

"She deserves compensation," The woman stated.

"Oh, we're talking millions," The Doctor grinned.

The woman stood up shyly and pulled her dressing gown around herself tighter. The Doctor was unaffected by it. He looked towards the area where Alice was standing and looking around. She seemed to feel his eyes and looked back towards him. She gave him a small smile before returning her attention back to the younger blonde.

"I'm in my dressing gown," The woman stated.

"Yes, you are," The Doctor affirmed.

"There's a strange man in my bedroom," The woman stated.

"Yes, there is," He agreed, he had a feeling he knew where she was going.

"Well, anything could happen," The Woman smiled.

"No, taken man," He stated walking towards Alice.

He was lucky that it was the truth if one squinted at it. A bond is something he wouldn't give up for anyone. He stopped beside her and saw the amusement on her face as she watched the blonde tidy up.

"Don't mind the mess. Do you want a coffee?" The blonde asked.

"Yes please," Alice smiled.

"Might as well, thanks. Just milk," The Doctor stated

"We should go to the police. Seriously. The three of us," The girl stated as she went to the kitchenette to make the cups of coffee.

"That won't last, he's gay and she's an alien," The Doctor stated as he held up a magazine.

Alice chuckled at that and shook her head in slight disbelief. She didn't know if it was the time for humorous cracks. She watched as he explored the small living room. She didn't know if he fit into a domestic room or not. He didn't seem to fit.

"I'm not blaming you, even if it was just some sort of joke that went wrong," The girl stated.

"Is that Harry Potter?" Alice quietly questioned.

"Sad ending," The Doctor stated.

"What? The seventh book? I agree," Alive chuckled as he put the book down.

She picked up a letter and learned the two's names, Jackie Tyler and her daughter Rose Tyler. She felt as though she had heard those names before. She placed the letter down and noticed that the Doctor seemed very surprised about his reflection. He caught her eye in the glass and he pointed at his ears.

"It's not so bad, look at these ears," He stated.

"Look at your nose," Alice fired back.

"Oi," He stated in slight amusement when she smiled.

Alice heard something scuttling behind her and she moved towards the settee. She looked behind it and barely dodged the plastic arm that flew towards her. The Doctor jumped in alarm and watched as she fell back towards the ground wrestling with an Auton's arm. She had it in a strong grip that was slowly slacking.

"Do something," Alice growled as the blonde came back in.

"Everyone's the same," She sighed as Alice's grip slipped and the arm went flying free.

The arm stayed in midair for a few seconds as it contemplated who to target. The blonde stared at it in shock as a hair dryer sounded from the older blonde's room. Alice took the Auton's contemplation to hit it with the sonic wand. It slowly froze until it dropped to the ground with a plastic clatter.

"Nice shot," The blonde stated.

"Thanks," Alice muttered as she got to her feet and picked up the arm.

Alice and the Doctor shared a look and headed out of the flat. The young blonde stood still for a few seconds before tearing after them. She caught up with them and barely kept up the pace with them. She cursed their longer legs.

"Hold on a minute. You can't just go swanning off," The blonde stated.

"We can. Here we are, swanning off. See you!" The Doctor stated.

"But that arm was moving," The blonde stated.

"Ten out of ten for observation," Alice muttered as the Doctor stated it.

They shared a look and Alice looked unamused. The Doctor grinned at that and she looked towards the arm. She was tempted to hit him with it.

"You can't just walk away. That's not fair. You've got to tell me what's going on!" The blonde stated.

"No, he doesn't," Alice stated, she was starting to get annoyed at the blonde.

Alice sped up and headed into the Tardis without him. The door gently closed behind her and he stared at it with a slightly amused expression on his face. Leave it to him to be bonded with a workaholic.

"All right, then. I'll go to the police. I'll tell everyone. You said, if I did that, I'd get people killed. So, your choice, you either tell me, or I'll start talking," The blonde threatened.

The Doctor stopped and he felt some annoyance through the bond. He felt his own at the blonde and the fact that he had to take the slow road with Alice. His people moved fast since they had all the time in the universe. He found that humans took things too slow.

"Is that supposed to sound tough?" The Doctor asked.

"Sort of," The blonde admitted.

"Doesn't work," The Doctor bluntly informed her.

"Who are you?" The blonde asked.

"I told you. The Doctor," He replied.

"Yeah, but Doctor what?" She asked.

He was getting a bit more annoyed by her. He was given insight as to how quiet Alice could be. She didn't talk much and seemed to live inside her head.

"Just the Doctor," He replied.

"The Doctor," She confirmed.

"Hello!" He greeted.

"Is that supposed to sound impressive?" The blonde asked.

"Sort of," He muttered.

"Come on, then. You can tell me. I've seen enough. Are you the police? Is that woman from the police, she acted like one," The blonde stated.

"No, I was just passing through. I'm a long way from home," The Doctor stated, "And Alice is even farther from home than I am."

The blonde looked at him in confusion. She didn't know if that made Alice, not of this world. The blue-eyed woman had seemed so normal. So, professional.

"But what have I done wrong? How come those plastic things keep coming after me?" She asked.

"Oh, suddenly the entire world revolves around you. You were just an accident. You got in the way, that's all," He explained.

"It tried to kill me," she stated.

"It was after me, not you. Last night, in the shop, I was there, you blundered in, almost ruined the whole thing. This morning, we were tracking it down, it was tracking me down. The only reason it fixed on you is 'cos you've met me," The Doctor informed her.

"So what you're saying is, the entire world revolves around you?" She skeptically asked.

"Yeah," The Doctor grinned.

"Doctor, the plastic is melting," Alice's voice almost caused him to jump as her voice crackled in his ear.

She didn't sound annoyed anymore. She sounded slightly distressed and he picked up his pace. The blonde let out an indignant cry and hurried to follow him. He gave her a sideways glance and sighed.

"Forget me, Rose Tyler, and go home," He stated.

She gave him a glare and decided to walk away as he entered a blue police box. He sighed quietly as he closed the door behind him. He looked toward the main console and saw Alice standing there in a black t-shirt with a frown on her face. With a grin on his face, he noted that she had placed her jumper on the railing in a fashion that was similar to his own. For a moment he was reminded of one of his old classmates, a woman named Doula, as she moved around the main console. He heard some quiet muttering as a wheeze replied.

"How'd it melt?" He asked as he headed towards the console.

"I had placed it in the scanner and it was going great until it started melting," Alice replied, "They backtracked the signal. If I could figure out how to retrace it I could find them, but the signal is weak."

He looked at her in surprise as she pressed buttons on the scanner and attempted a trace. The signal was very weak and it was doubtful she would get anything. She groaned in frustration and ran a hand through her hair. It stuck up in different directions after she was done. A wheeze alerted them to a small red dot on the screen of the holo-pad. Alice gave a quiet cheer at that and looked towards it.

"I got something moving, I believe that's a start," Alice stated as the Doctor waited for it to stop.

Eventually, it did and she zoomed in on the map and blinked in surprise. The Doctor began to pull levers and push buttons, reaching around a thoughtful Alice to push one right in front of her. She had to wonder if it was possible for plastic to even eat because the scanner was telling her that the Auton was inside of a restaurant.

"Can Auton's even eat?" She asked, "Because this one is inside of a restaurant…ah never mind probably a trap for you."

"Your mind is a wonderful thing," The Doctor complimented as the Tardis took off with her signature whirring.

He got a small smile in response to that as they landed. They both headed towards the doors, Alice pulled on her jumper knowing that it would be cold outside. She turned out to be right when a small breeze of cold air hit her face from the door opening. She turned the holo-pad over and hit a small button that put it on sleep mode.

"It hasn't moved for some time," Alice stated as they entered the restaurant.

"Found it," He stated, "mind waiting back here for a few?"

"I'll just be backup," Alice smiled, taking her perch and leaning against the wall with her arms crossed across her chest.

The Doctor gave a slight smile at that before heading towards a waiter and taking the bottle of champagne that was behind him. He looked around the restaurant before he found who he was looking for. Rose Tyler, the blonde that was targeted because of him. She was sitting with a man who he knew was plastic. He walked up to them to put his plan into fruition.

"What're you doing that for?" Rose asked the fake man in confusion.

"Your champagne," The Doctor stated.

"We didn't order any champagne. Where's the Doctor?" The Auton stated.

"Madam, your champagne," The Doctor attempted to get her attention.

"It's not ours. Mickey, what is it? What's wrong?" Rose replied the Doctor wondered how rude one person could be.

"I need to find out how much you know, so where is he?" The Auton asked.

"That's not suspicious at all," Alice's voice murmured and the Doctors lips quirked upwards in a smile.

He hadn't realized that she had turned on her earpiece to listen to the conversation. He let out a sigh as he stared at Rose in thought. She had seemed like she was far cleverer than this.

"Doesn't anybody want this champagne?" He asked in annoyance.

"Look, we didn't order it," The Auton stated, finally looking up at a smirking Doctor, "Ah. Gotcha."

The Doctor shook the champagne bottle and the Auton tilted its head in confusion. Alice had moved from her position and was ready to jump in at any time. The Doctor quickly looked over at her and her eyes widened in surprise before she gave a curt nod in understanding. He finished shaking the bottle and then grinned at the Auton.

"Don't mind me. I'm just toasting the happy couple. On the house!" He gleefully stated before removing the cage around the cork.

The cork flew from the bottle and lodged itself into the Auton's head. It sunk into its head before coming out of its mouth. Alice took that as a chance to pull the fire alarm. The restaurant quickly turned to anarchy as people ran and pushed their way to the doors. The Auton stood up and changed its hand into an ax. Several more appeared and Alice used her sonic on one before ripping its head off.

"Doctor! I think a retreat is in order!" Alice called as she kept the back door open.

He nodded and grabbed Rose's hand before running through the doorway before Alice closed it and locked it with her sonic wand that he kept wondering where she got it. Rose had kept running and was stopped at the gate as Alice returned to the Tardis with a plastic head in her arms.

"C'mon!" She yelled from the entrance, "We need to get a new signal!"

The Doctor grinned at Rose before he entered the Tardis as well. She stood by the gate in confusion before running after the two. She slammed the door behind her and got a slight reprimand from Alice. The brunette returned to her work and muttered to herself as she pressed buttons on the scanner that was holding a larger piece of plastic. She was unaware of the surprise on the Doctors face as the Tardis wheezed in conversation with the brunette, and she unknowingly replied in mutters. She went to say something but was interrupted.

"They're going to get in," Rose stated.

"The assembled hordes of Genghis Khan couldn't get through that door, and believe me, they've tried," The Doctor stated as he looked at her, "Now, shut up a minute."

"The arm was too simple, but the head's perfect," Alice stated, "I can use it to trace the signal back to the original source, and Doctor."

"Yes?" He answered with a grin.

"Don't be rude and just answer her," Alice almost sounded amused.

"Er, the inside's bigger than the outside?" Rose stated as she looked between the two.

She couldn't tell if they were married, a couple, friends, or even co-workers. She would say a couple from the way they sometimes interacted. They were almost on the same wavelength; it was starting to freak her out.

"Yes," The Doctor nodded.

"It's alien," She stated.

"It is," He confirmed.

"Are you alien?" She questioned.

"Yeah, is that all right?" He asked.

"It's brilliant," Alice muttered as attempted to get the scanner to work, it wanted to be difficult.

"Yeah, what is this thing?" Rose asked.

"It's called the Tardis, this thing. T.A.R.D.I.S. That's Time And Relative Dimension in Space," The Doctor replied.

Rose burst into tears and Alice stopped her actions and tapped the Doctors arm. He seemed so confused when she pulled him to the scanner and shot him a look. He held his hands up in defense as she turned and walked to the sobbing blonde. Rose jumped in surprise when a gentle hand was placed on her shoulder.

"Who was he?" Alice asked.

"My boyfriend, I feel so stupid that I hadn't noticed that he was different," Rose stated, "they copied him and I don't know if he's even alive."

"There is a possibility that he is," Alice stated as the blonde allowed herself to be pulled into a hug.

The Tardis began to shake and Rose jumped in confusion. At Alice's amused look she calmed down. Rose would rather take directions from the brunette than the Doctor. At least she seemed to care that her boyfriend could possibly be dead.

"It's the Tardis moving, I think he's following the signal," Alice explained, "the sooner we get to the signal the closer we get to seeing if your boyfriend is all right."

Rose smiled slightly at that. She was reminded of a cop that had helped her back in primary school. She never did get to thank the police officer. She disappeared before she could. The Doctor exited the Tardis and Alice followed after.

"You can't go out there. It's not safe!" Rose called in disbelief.

She stayed in the Tardis for a few seconds before following after. Her mouth fell open as she looked over at the Thames. It shouldn't be possible and yet there it was. She looked towards Alice and noticed that she was hugging herself a little bit. She may have been wearing a jumper but it was a daytime jumper.

"It's a bit chilly innit?" Alice asked the Doctor.

"I lost the signal, we were so close," The Doctor stated.

"We've moved. Does it fly?" Rose asked.

"She travels through a vortex and materializes," Alice stated, "That's how I rationalize it at least."

"That's not far from the truth," The Doctor admitted.

"Now," Alice started, "What are we looking for? What's been controlling the Auton's?"

"It's the Nestene Consciousness," The Doctor replied

"What's it got against us?" Rose asked, quickly understanding how the dynamics worked.

"Nothing. It loves you. You've got such a good planet. Lots of smoke and oil, plenty of toxins and dioxins in the air, perfect. Just what the Nestene Consciousness needs. Its food stock was destroyed in the war, all its protein plants rotted, so Earth, dinner!" The Doctor stated.

"Will peaceful negotiations work against it?" Alice asked, "If not then the Anti-plastic?"

"Why would you talk to it peacefully?" Rose asked.

"Who knows, it might be scared," Alice shrugged, "I don't fancy, and pardon my terminology, shooting first and asking questions later. I've had enough of that for a lifetime."

"Oh," Rose quietly muttered.

"I've got to find it. How can you hide something that big in a city this small?" The Doctor asked.

"Hold on. Hide what?" Rose asked.

"The transmitter. The Consciousness is controlling every single piece of plastic, so it needs a transmitter to boost the signal," The Doctor answered.

"That means it's round right, and something that can control shop mannequins from a long distance has to be massive," Alice stated, her words going a mile a minute as her mind came up with an idea, "The London eye! Brilliant, it's something that most people will never expect!"

"Fantastic!" The Doctor exclaimed while Rose looked at her in amazement, "What I wouldn't give to look inside your head for a few seconds."

He took both of their hands and then began to run towards the large Ferris wheel. Alice and Rose were barely able to keep up from how fast he was running. His mind was working in overdrive as he went through theory and theory about what the Nestene Consciousness could want. He was almost giddy and he knew that the two women that were running with him were shooting him worried looks.

"Think of it, plastic all over the world, every artificial thing waiting to come alive. The shop window dummies, the phones, the wires, the cables," He stated.

"The potted plants," Alice chimed in.

"The breast implants," Rose added as they came to a stop.

"Nice one," Alice complimented as she looked around the area before consulting with her holo-pad, "Doctor, I'm getting a reading from down under."

She started walking towards the red dot as the Doctor looked for an entrance to an underground area. A dark brow raised as Alice looked at a manhole. She closed her eyes and turned the holo-pad off. She almost ran into Rose when she turned to inform them. Rose got a smile from her and she grinned in response.

"Over here!" Rose called.

The Doctor ran towards them and hurried past towards the manhole. He easily lifted it up. A red light started glowing from the manhole. Alice stared for a few seconds before heading down first. Rose almost said something as the brunette slid down the small ladder. She followed after and climbed them carefully before the Doctor joined them. They headed down a series of stairs that headed farther into an underground building. They looked down and saw a vat swirling with a cream-colored liquid.

"The Nestene Consciousness. That's it, inside the vat. A living plastic creature," The Doctor was giddy sounding once again.

Alice looked at him and felt the urge to grab his hand and give it a gentle squeeze. She frowned at that urge and buried it deep. She wasn't that close to him to actually do such things.

"Well, then," Rose started, "Tip in your anti-plastic and let's go."

"We aren't going to kill it, give it a chance to explain itself," Alice stated.

The Doctor didn't add to it seeing as she summed up what he had wanted to say. They made their way down the stairs and headed towards the catwalk that hung overhead the vat. Alice felt her hair begin to stick to her face from sweat. It was warmer than she had anticipated.

"I seek an audience with the Nestene Consciousness under peaceful contract according to convention 15 of the Shadow Proclamation," The Doctor stated, his answer was a movement, "Thank you. If I might have permission to approach?"

"Mickey!" Rose called as her eyes fell on her boyfriend.

She ran down the catwalk and hurried to his side. The Doctor rolled his eyes before catching the expression of disbelief on Alice's face. She had caught his reaction and her expression shifted to one of disapproval. He inwardly winced at that as she headed down the catwalk as well and looked over at the Nestene Consciousness.

"Those things down there, the liquid. Rose, it can talk!" Mickey stated.

"They kept him alive," Rose stated in relief to Alice.

"It was probably so the copy would be maintained," Alice stated with a small sigh of relief, "I'm glad he's okay."

Rose smiled at her for that and gave Mickey a kiss on the cheek. She could ignore the way he smelled since she knew it wasn't by his choice. She had been so worried about him. The Doctor made it down the catwalk and stared down into the vat.

"Am I addressing the Consciousness?" He asked a movement was given in confirmation, "Thank you. If I might observe, you infiltrated this civilization by means of warp shunt technology. So, may I suggest, with the greatest respect, that you shunt off?"

"Don't be rude," Alice stated in unison with the plastic growing a face.

"Oh, don't give me that. It's an invasion, plain and simple. Don't talk about constitutional rights. I am talking! This planet is just starting. These stupid little people have only just learned how to walk, but they're capable of so much more. I'm asking you on their behalf. Please, just go," The Doctor pleaded.

"Doctor!" Rose and Alice warned in unison.

Two Auton's had appeared behind him and trapped him in their hold. He struggled against them as one dug around his jacket pockets. It pulled out the vial of anti-plastic and held it up so the vat could see it. Alice winced at that and ran a hand down her face. The plastic began to accuse the Doctor.

"That was just insurance. I wasn't going to use it. I was not attacking you. I'm here to help. I'm not your enemy. I swear, I'm not!" The Doctor stated, the plastic angrily replied to that, "What do you mean?"

The door behind the group opened and the Tardis was revealed. Alice grabbed Rose and Mickey and got them to head up the stairs as the plastic accused him. They were backed up against the Tardis as Alice fished out her keys and unlocked the doors.

"No. Oh, no. Honestly, no," The Doctor attempted to negotiate with the plastic, "Yes, that's my ship. That's not true. I should know, I was there. I fought in the war. It wasn't my fault. I couldn't save your world! I couldn't save any of them!"

"What's wrong?" Rose questioned Alice.

"It's scared and I think we're heading into critical levels," Alice responded as Mickey looked around the Tardis in awe, "you two stay here."

"Alice, you need to run!" The Doctor yelled at her.

Her eyes connected with his and he felt everything she was feeling. Anger, worry, and even fear. She jumped down from the ledge and easily kicked the anti-plastic from the Auton's grasp. It fell right into the vat. She pulled out her sonic and used it on the Auton that had him in its grasp.

"We should hurry into the Tardis," She offered as she held out a hand.

The Doctor accepted it before running up the stairs with her in tow. They entered the Tardis and he quickly headed to the main console as she closed the doors. The Tardis took off with a lurch before settling down with another one. Alice became amused at the shortest flight of the Tardis. Rose and Mickey headed outside and Alice stretched. There wasn't anything to worry about. They were safe and an invasion wasn't going to happen. The Doctor had headed out of the Tardis to issue an invitation to Rose to travel with them but she had declined. He walked back inside with a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Did you mention that she travels through time?" Alice asked.

He opened the door again and the next thing she knew Rose was walking through the doors with a grin on her face. Alice smiled back and removed her jumper as it slowly got too hot for her. The Doctor started the Tardis and they were flying through space and time.

"Where to first?" The Doctor asked them with a grin.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4. _Earth's Death_

* * *

"Let's go forward in time," Rose stated.

"Forwards it is," The Doctor grinned.

Alice held onto the railing as the Tardis took a sharp left and shook. Rose let out a sharp laugh when the two of them bumped into each other. The brunette joined in with the laughter, her soft chuckles barely heard over the Tardis's whirring and wheezing. The Doctor grinned at the sound. He could feel the bond without having to focus on it. Alice was happy, though there was an underlying feeling of sadness, and it made him happy. He could almost forget the sadness, but he wouldn't. It stemmed from something that she missed dearly.

The Tardis came to a sudden stop and Alice pushed her hair back from her sweaty forehead. Rose blinked in surprise and the Doctor held a hand out towards the door and Rose headed towards the door. Alice gave a stretch as the younger blonde headed outside. She stopped to pull her bag over her shoulder.

"Where did you get the sonic wand?" The Doctor asked.

"A woman with red hair gave it to me on Vesuvius," Alice responded, "Told me that it'd be useful. I tried chasing her down but she vanished on me."

The Doctor felt her annoyance at that and watched as a pale hand entered dark brown hair. Her feelings changed to stressed and he felt the urge to hold her. He felt his hands twitch at that. His mother had fondly talked about the bond she shared with his father. She always said that she would comfort him in times of stress and negative emotions. Alice had left the Tardis and he sighed at the blue jumper resting on the railing. She wasn't going to wear her jumper; he let out another sigh and headed out behind them. Alice was standing next to a wall and pressed her finger to a screen. A metallic shutter lifted and the room was bathed in light as the window showed the planet Earth.

"You lot, you spend all your time thinking about dying, like you're going to get killed by eggs or beef or global warming or asteroids. But you never take time to imagine the impossible, that maybe you survive," The Doctor told them, "This is the year five point five slash apple slash twenty-six. Five billion years in your future and this is the day,"

"No," Alice began to quietly chant as he looked at his watch.

"Hold on," The Doctor stated as the sun flared and turned a blood red, "This is the day the Sun expands. Welcome to the end of the world."

He could feel the dread rolling off of Alice and Rose showed that she could feel it as well. Blue eyes were shut tight as the woman in question contemplated hitting the man who had kindly allowed her to travel with him, the man she was growing to care for. He tensed at her as the anger melded into sadness and eventually begrudging acceptance. He reached for her hand and she tensed before unconsciously intertwining her fingers with his. It brought warmth to his hearts.

"Shuttles five and six now docking. Guests are reminded that Platform One forbids the use of weapons, teleportation, and religion. Earth Death is scheduled for fifteen thirty-nine followed by drinks in the Manchester Suite," A feminine voice told them, Alice grumbled slightly at that and the Doctor could swear she was mocking it.

"So, when it says guests, does that mean people?" Rose asked.

"Depends what you mean by people," The Doctor answered.

"I mean people. What do you mean?" Rose asked.

"Aliens," The Doctor and Alice responded in unison.

"What are they doing on board this spaceship? What's it all for?" Rose asked.

"It's not really a spaceship, more like an observation deck. The great and the good are gathering to watch the planet burn," The Doctor stated as he opened a nearby door with the sonic screwdriver.

"He means the rich," Alice stated with a strained smile, "they might be doing this for fun."

The doors opened and they headed into a large room with several display cases. The Doctor looked around in slight thought as Alice stayed by his side. He was able to feel how her hand fit inside of his. She had relatively cold hands that balanced out his warmth.

"But, hold on. They did this once on Newsround Extra. The sun expanding, that takes hundreds of years," Rose stated.

"Millions, but the planet's now the property of the National Trust. They've been keeping it preserved. See down there? Gravity satellites holding back the sun," The Doctor pointed out.

"How is it that the Earth looks the same?" Alice asked she sounded slightly curious.

"The Trust shifted everything back to how it was, that there is a classic Earth," The Doctor stated, "But the money to keep it alive is gone, now nature takes over."

"How long does it have?" Rose questioned.

"About half an hour and then the planet gets roasted," He answered.

Rose went to ask a question but then noticed Alice's expression. She looked sad, more than sad. It was like someone she had loved died. Her eyes caught sight of how she held the Doctors hand and a small smile appeared on her own face. It was rather adorable.

"Everything has a beginning and everything has an end," Alice stated, her soft voice echoing in the room, "This is the planets end."

"But what about the people?" Rose asked.

"It's empty. They're all gone. No one left," He answered.

"At least the planet is empty," Alice stated in slight relief.

Rose nodded in agreement. They all missed it when a man with blue skin stopped outside of the door and looked at the group in surprise. The computer had been informing him of people on the observation deck. He was about to yell when the taller female turned and looked at him. He almost lost himself in her eyes as she gently nudged the man next to her. He turned and the man with blue skin licked his lips slightly, there was something disarming about those two.

"Who are you, people?" He asked, "This is a maximum hospitality zone. The guests have disembarked. They're on their way any second now."

"We are guests," The Doctor stated, "look we've got an invitation, The Doctor, Alice Smith, and Rose Tyler. Is that all right?"

He had pulled out a wallet and showed a piece of paper to the man. Alice caught sight of it and noticed that her name had a Mrs. next to it. She frowned at the fact that she was still labeled as his wife. She might've been getting Vesuvius flashbacks.

"Well, obviously. Apologies et cetera. If you're on board, we'd better start. Enjoy," The man stayed with a small smile, he headed over to a lectern and seemed to think about something.

"The papers psychic it shows them what I want them to see," The Doctor stated, "Saves some time."

"He's blue," Rose gently stated.

"My first aliens were red," Alice chuckled quietly.

The Doctor chuckled at that and gently tightened his hold on her hand. He didn't like thinking about what could've happened on Vesuvius. He could've lost his bonded without having strengthened the bond.

"We have in attendance the Doctor, Mrs. Alice Smith, and Rose Tyler. Thank you. All staff to their positions," The blue man stated.

Alice figured that he was the steward in charge of the ship by how he acted. The doors opened and people began to walk in. Rose was barely able to keep her face blank as she looked at the different people. Some were small and others were tall, the head in a large container threw her for a loop. Alice wasn't faring any better as her eyes kept moving from person to person.

"Hurry, now, thank you. Quick as we can. Come along, come along. And now, might I introduce the next honored guest? Representing the Forest of Cheam, we have trees, namely, Jabe, Lute, and Coffa," The Steward announced.

Three bark-skinned people walked over to the group and smiled at them. There were a few more guests to announce before special gifts. Alice listened as the steward listed off all the guests. The Doctor grinned at all the different species. Jabe looked towards the group and noticed the two older humanoids. She wondered if they were as close as they seemed to be. Her group walked up to theirs and the brunette gave her a curious look before it turned into a soft smile.

"The Gift of Peace. I bring you a cutting of my Grandfather," She stated.

"Thank you," The Doctor stated, something was pressed into his hand, "We give the gift of Earth sweets."

He didn't even want to question why she had sweets on her person. He didn't want to know where she had even gotten them. A small twig in a pot was given in exchange and Alice was put in charge of it. Jabe and Alice shared a small smile before the trees headed towards a different area.

"From the Silver Devastation, the sponsor of the main event, please welcome the Face of Boe," The Steward announced.

The glass case came towards them and Alice's grasp on the Doctors hand went slack as the face of Boe opened a link into her mind. Her pupils had dilated and the Doctor placed an arm around her waist so she wouldn't fall. Boe made a slight face before a complete connection was made.

' _Hello, Alice,_ ' Boe greeted, ' _You were right, your head is so busy._ '

' _You know me, but I'm afraid this is the first time we're meeting,_ ' Alice responded, ' _At least we seem to be friends._ '

She got a chuckle out of him and her body gave a shiver in slight confusion. She couldn't move or speak. The only thing keeping her up was the Doctor. Boe hummed quietly and she gave him her attention.

' _The bond you two share is fascinating,'_ Boe stated, ' _Seeing it is a splendorous sight indeed._ '

' _Bond? Never mind I'll figure it out in due time,_ ' Alice was a bit amused as Boe chuckled, ' _I believe there is a queue forming, my friend._ '

' _Indeed, be safe Ally-cat_ ,' Boe stated before closing the mental link.

Alice almost lost her footing as she gained back her movement. She smiled at Boe as he headed off. The Doctor and Rose were trying to keep her steady. The brunette chuckled slightly as she gained her balance. Their gift from Boe had been information. Theirs had been showing their bond, though Alice had no clue what that had meant.

"Are you all right?" The Doctor muttered in her ear.

"I'm good, just a little dizzy," Alice responded, "That was amazing."

The Doctor nodded his understanding as she finally got her balance back. A small blue Alien rolled up to them and the Doctor greeted him happily. Alice gave him a look and decided to lean away from the smaller alien.

"The Moxx of Balhoon," The Doctor greeted.

"My felicitations on this historical happenstance. I give you the gift of bodily salivas," The Moxx stated before spitting at the group.

The Doctor chuckled as Rose wiped the spit from her face. Alice grimaced in slight apology before elbowing the Doctor. He quickly stopped chuckling and Moxx continued on his way. Some robed people walked up to the group. Alice got a strange feeling from them like they weren't actually there.

"Ah! The Adherents of the Repeated Meme. We bring you Earth sweets," The Doctor grinned.

"A gift of peace in all good faith," The Meme stated holding out three metal spheres.

The Doctor had to release Alice's hand as they accepted the spheres. He missed the warmth that had come from their conjoined hands. He could feel her slight disappointment and grin to himself. He still had it. The Steward cleared his throat and all attention returned to him.

"Last but not least, our very special guest. Ladies and gentlemen, and trees and multiforms consider the Earth below. In memory of this dying world, we call forth the last Human. The Lady Cassandra O'Brien Dot Delta Seventeen," The Steward announced.

"It's a bloody trampoline," Alice muttered and the Doctor kept a chuckle to himself.

"Oh, now, don't stare. I know, I know it's shocking, isn't it? I've had my chin completely taken away and look at the difference. Look how thin I am, thin and dainty. I don't look a day over two thousand. Moisturize me. Moisturize me," Cassandra stated, the Doctor looked at the two females by his side and saw their disbelief, "Truly, I am the last Human. My father was a Texan; my mother was from the Arctic Desert. They were born on the Earth and were the last to be buried in its soil. I have come to honor them and say goodbye. Oh, no tears, no tears. I'm sorry. But behold, I bring gifts. From Earth itself, the last remaining ostrich egg. Legend says it had a wingspan of fifty feet and blew fire from its nostrils. Or was that my third husband? Oh, no. Oh, don't laugh. I'll get laughter lines. And here, another rarity."

"She can't be serious," Alice lowly chuckled as her disbelief was brought to the surface, "Oh a Jukebox, lovely."

"She's just skin," Rose muttered to the taller woman.

"She's a bitchy piece of skin, I feel bad for her workers," Alice smirked.

Rose chuckled and bumped shoulders with her. A grin formed on both of their faces as the Doctor looked at them in slight worry. He didn't trust Cassandra; something about her didn't sit right with him, even if she amused him. She was rather entertaining with her lies about objects from Earth.

"According to the archives, this was called an iPod. It stores classical music from humanity's greatest composers. Play on!" Cassandra ordered.

The jukebox was started and Alice made a face at the familiar song. _Tainted Love_ by soft cell began to play in the observatory. She placed the sphere on a nearby stand and kept a hold on the tree clipping. Her eyes went back to Cassandra and a frown appeared on her face. She didn't like the 'last human'.

"Refreshments will now be served. Earth Death in thirty minutes," The Steward announced.

Rose let out a shaky breath and headed out of the room. Alice gave her an understanding look before heading after her. The Doctor waited a few seconds to follow after her. He had missed Jabe scanning him. He waited outside the doors of the room that Rose and Alice were talking in.

"They are so alien," Rose stated.

"They are alien, at least compared to us," Alice smiled, "But they are peaceful. I can understand how weird this must be to you."

"The Doctor, What kind of alien is he?" Rose suddenly asked, "You two seem close."

Alice turned a light pink before sighing as she leaned against a step of the stairs. Her eyes never left the planet surface. A flash of sadness went through her eyes. She didn't want to see the planets death. She didn't want to see her home destroyed. She really didn't, it was one of the few places that she had happy memories of.

"I've known him only a little bit longer, but I get the feeling that something bad happened to his home," Alice responded, "I can understand if he doesn't want to talk about it."

"Are you talking from experience?" Rose asked, "Where are you from?"

"I was born and raised in Edinburgh Scotland," Alice smiled, "I'm from a different universe altogether, I worked as a Detective Inspector for Scotland Yard."

"What division?" Rose asked she had gathered she was a cop from how she acted.

"Murder," was the strained reply, "Aliens don't bother me as much as what humans can do."

Rose was quiet at that before the Doctor headed back in. He stopped and sat down next to Alice on the stairs. Rose smiled at that and watched as Alice relaxed slightly and kept her eyes forward. The ship jolted and the group all looked around in confusion. They stood up and headed out of the room and back into the observation deck. The Steward gave the excuse of Gravity pockets. Alice frowned at that and turned to the Doctor.

"Gravity pockets? They don't feel like that, do they?" Alice asked the Doctor.

"They don't," The Doctor answered.

"Earth Death in twenty-five minutes," The Computer informed everyone.

"That wasn't a gravity pocket. I know gravity pockets and they don't feel like that. What do you think, Jabe? Listen to the engines. They've pitched up about thirty Hertz. Is that dodgy or what?" The Doctor asked.

Rose and Alice shared a look before sighing in unison. He was a bit thick if he couldn't figure out that Jabe was interested in him. Rose knew there was no way that the Doctor would flirt back. He seemed a bit too connected with Alice for that.

"It's the sound of metal. It doesn't make any sense to me," Jabe admitted.

"Where's the engine room?" The Doctor asked.

"I don't know, but the maintenance duct is just behind our guest suite, I could show you and your…wives," Jabe stayed after a few seconds of thought.

"Oh! I'm not his wife," Rose stated.

Neither Alice nor the Doctor contradicted her. Alice knew that it was a good cover and therefore knew better than to say something. The Doctor placed it as truth because of the bond. Rose kept a grin off her face as the bark-skinned woman seemed to sadly accept the two. It was almost a small bit of victory to the blonde.

"Tell you what, you two go and explore. We're going to catch up with family. A quick word with Michael Jackson," Rose stated before linking arms with Alice.

"Don't start a fight!" The Doctor warned them.

Rose grinned at that as Alice rolled her eyes. Like the bitchy trampoline could be a good fight. Jabe smiled up at the Doctor before looked back at the brunette who was being led away. She would have to thank the blonde for the time alone with the handsome man.

"Your wife is of a violent type?" Jabe asked.

"No, but even I know better than to press the buttons of a Scott," The Doctor smiled, "They have pretty nasty tempers."

"Oh my!" Jabe stated in slight confusion and surprise.

They then took off towards the maintenance ducts. Rose chuckled quietly at the slight frown on Alice's face. She had never seen a person so confused over their own emotions. She then remembered the fact that Alice was used to dealing with the darker side of life. She probably didn't have much time for dating. She felt bad for the older woman, she almost seemed lonely.

"Earth Death in fifteen minutes. Earth Death in fifteen minutes," The Computer announced.

"Soon, the sun will blossom into a red giant, and my home will die. That's where I used to live, when I was a little boy, down there," Cassandra stated as Rose and Alice came to stand next to her, "Mummy and Daddy had a little house built into the side of the Los Angeles Crevice. I'd have such fun."

"What happened to everyone else?" Rose asked, "Where did the Human race go?"

"They say mankind has touched every star in the sky," Cassandra stated.

"So you aren't the last human," Rose pointed out.

"I am the last pure human. The others mingled," Cassandra replied, disgust in her tone.

"Still not the last," Alice pointed out in a sing-song way.

"Oh, they call themselves new humans and Proto-humans and Digi-humans, even 'Humanish, but you know what I call them? Mongrels," Cassandra told the two.

"Right, and you stayed behind?" Rose asked.

"I kept myself pure," Cassandra stated.

"Reminds me of Harry Potter," Alice muttered to Rose, "You know anyone named Voldemort?"

"Beg pardon?" Cassandra questioned.

"How many operations have you had?" Rose asked, she was genuinely curious and wanted to stop Cassandra from figuring them out.

"Seven hundred and eight, next week, it's seven hundred and nine. I'm having my blood bleached. Is that why you wanted a word? You could be flatter Alice, Rose. You've got a little bit of a chin poking out," Cassandra told Rose before turning to Alice, "And your face is far too masculine for a lady."

Alice kept her face impassive before tilting her head slightly. Rose frowned deeply at Cassandra's words. She knew just the thing to say to the flap of skin. Something that her mother would laugh at if she was here.

"I'd rather die," Rose stated.

"Honestly, it doesn't hurt," Cassandra said with a dramatic roll of her eyes.

"No, I mean it. I would rather die. It's better to die than live like you, a bitchy trampoline," Rose stated.

Alice hadn't reacted to it. She kept staring at the piece of skin in front of her. Her mind was racing a mile a second. Thoughts and insults were getting lost with the stream of ideas. All she could focus on was the woman's contempt for unpure humans. She actually felt angry and insulted.

"Oh, well. What do you know," Cassandra said to Rose.

"We were born on that planet, and so were our parents, and that makes us the last humans in the room, 'cos you're not human," Rose growled, "You've had it all nipped and tucked and flattened till there's nothing left. Anything human got chucked in the bin. You're just skin, Cassandra. Lipstick and skin. Nice talking."

Rose headed off and didn't give Cassandra a chance to speak. Cassandra glared at the brunette who had stayed. She detested when others were lovelier than her. The girl next to her had the classic dark and pale combination with icy blue eyes to add to it. Those icy blues were hard and directed at her.

"Y'know," Alice started in a soft voice, "not many people will deal with racist comments as calmly as I have, you see those who had integrated as below you, but you live in a past where you are no longer welcomed. Cassandra, you are both sad and pathetic. I would rather die than become anything like you."

Cassandra glared at the woman as she turned on a heel and headed out of the observation deck. She quietly cursed the cop and glared as the doors closed behind her. She looked towards the robed memes as they silently followed after the brunette. The blonde was looking out the window towards the planet. Everything seemed to be going peacefully.

Jabe and the Doctor were walking through the maintenance ducts when a thought crossed his mind.

"So tell me, Jabe, what's a tree like you doing in a place like this?" He asked, his tone interested even as a spike of anger came from his bonded.

"Respect for the Earth," Jabe stated.

"Oh, come on. Everyone on this platform's worth zillions," He grinned.

"Well, perhaps it's a case of having to be seen at the right occasions," Jabe admitted.

"In case your share prices drop? I know you lot. You've got massive forests everywhere, roots everywhere, and there's always money in land," The Doctor stated.

"All the same, we respect the Earth as a family. So many species evolved from that planet. Mankind is only one. I'm another," Jabe stated in a fond voice, "My ancestors were transplanted from the planet down below, and I'm a direct descendant of the tropical rainforest."

"Excuse me," He softly said with a smile.

He scanned a panel with his sonic and frowned when it denied his access. His frown increased when Alice went completely blank to him. He focused on the task at hand; he knew that she could handle herself. He began to work on getting the door to open. A small train of thought began to start in the back of his head, how come the computer hadn't picked up on his Tardis? His mind flashed to Alice as she opened the metallic shutters, he almost grinned at that thought. She had bamboozled the computer into forgetting about the Tardis and made it focus on the people in the room.

"And what about your ancestry, Doctor? Perhaps you could tell a story or two. Perhaps a man only enjoys trouble when there's nothing else left. I scanned you earlier. The metal machine had trouble identifying your species," Jabe stated, he paused in his actions "It refused to admit your existence. And even when it named you, I wouldn't believe it. But it was right. I know where you're from. Forgive me for intruding, but it's remarkable that you even exist. I just wanted to say how sorry I am."

She had placed a hand on his shoulder and he felt a tear fall down his face. He felt comfort over the bond and realized that whatever Alice was doing she could feel his sorrow. He finished opening the door and he walked through it with Jabe.

"Is it me, or is it a bit nippy?" He asked over the sounds of the giant propellers, "Fair do's, though, that's a great bit of air conditioning. Sort of nice and old-fashioned. Bet they call it retro."

He scanned the panel nearest to him and let out a sound of victory when a metallic spider scuttled from it. It traveled up the wall and he frowned at it. He had no clue what it was. All he knew was that it was dangerous.

"What the hell's that?" He muttered.

"Is it part of the retro?" Jabe asked.

"I don't think so. Hold on," The Doctor stated as he aimed the sonic at the spider.

He got it but the spider was close to falling into the chasm of the vents. Jabe saved it by using a part of her body to lasso it. She brought it towards herself and he let out a low whistle.

"Hey, nice liana," The Doctor complimented as she handed him the spider.

"Thank you. We're not supposed to show them in public," Jabe smiled.

"Don't worry, I won't tell anybody," He stated, "Now then, who's been bringing their pets on board?"

"What does it do?" She questioned.

"Sabotage," He answered.

"Earth Death in ten minutes," The Computer informed everyone.

"And the temperature's about to rocket. Come on," He stated.

He led the way down a corridor and stopped when he noticed the small assistants to the Steward outside of a smoking room chattering worriedly. The smell told him all he needed to know. He rushed forward and gently moved the assistants aside. He placed his sonic against the panel and activated the sun filter so the assistants could get the body.

"Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising," The Computer informed him.

"Is the Steward in there?!" Jabe asked.

"You can smell him. Hold on, there's another sun filter programmed to descend," He muttered before running off.

Alice let out a cough as she looked around the observation deck that was empty. She had sat on the steps in deep thought as she stared at the planet. She thought back to the intense sorrow and guilt she had felt, it hadn't been hers. She wanted to comfort whoever it had belonged to. A loud clicking got her attention and she turned to the doors.

"Observation deck 3 doors locked," The Computer informed her.

"What?" Alice muttered as she ran up the steps and placed her sonic against the panel, "I need to ask him how to use this bloody thing, one second I get it and the next I don't."

"Sun filter descending," The Computer stated.

Alice's heart dropped as the heat began to fill the room. She began to bang on the door as terror filled her. She hadn't experienced fear such as this since she was small. She felt the tears beginning to fall down her face as she knelt to escape the sun rays.

"Alice!" She heard the Doctor call.

"Doctor!" She called back in slight relief before moving down the stairs, "The door it locked on me and I couldn't open it!"

"I won't let anything happen to you," The Doctor informed her as he slammed the sonic into the wiring of the panel.

"Sun filter rising," The Computer stated.

Alice stood up on shaky legs and headed to the door. She could hear the Doctor's quiet sigh of relief and then she felt it. It then hit what Boe had meant by Bond.

"Doctor, it's Cassandra," Alice stated, "She's the only person I had insulted on this entire ship."

She could almost feel his smile.

"Fantastic," He stated, "The doors are jammed shut, I'd have to reset everything to get them open. Stay in there and stay safe."

"Doctor's orders?" She lightly teased.

"They are," He replied before running off.

Alice let out a harsh breath before leaning against the door and sliding to the ground. She was safe for the moment, but she didn't know how long that would last. Her left hand went to her pendant and she grasped at it. She was silently cheering the Doctor on. He was their only hope to get off the ship alive.

"Earth Death in five minutes," The Computer told her.

"Brilliant and I have a front-row seat," Alice muttered.

In the Observation gallery, the Doctor walked back inside to see a worried Rose standing next to Boe. The blonde was fretting quietly and she relaxed when she saw him. She knew that something had happened, but she didn't know what. Boe had told his attendants to bring her over for her safety.

"The metal machine confirms. The spider devices have infiltrated the whole of Platform One," Jabe stated.

"How's that possible? Our private rooms are protected by a code wall. Moisturize me, moisturize me," Cassandra stated, the Doctor looked at her in distaste.

"Summon the Steward," Moxx stated.

"I'm afraid the Steward is dead," Jabe quietly informed him.

"Who killed him?" Moxx asked.

"This whole event was sponsored by the Face of Boe. He invited us. Talk to the Face. Talk to the Face," Cassandra accused.

Boe frowned at her while Rose moved closer to act as some protection. She had nothing against the face. She was more inclined to think it was Cassandra. The way that she was acting seemed false to the blonde. It seemed to be planned with how everything was happening.

"Easy way of finding out. Someone bought their little pet on board. Let's send him back to master," The Doctor stated as he put the spider down on the ground.

It scuttled around the area scanning everyone until it came to Cassandra and the Memes. It scanned Cassandra and waited next to her longer than it did for anyone else. The Doctor knew then that Alice had been right, he never doubted her for a second. The spider then headed to the Memes.

"The Adherents of the Repeated Meme! J'accuse!" Cassandra exclaimed.

The Doctor rolled his eyes slightly before putting his hands behind his back.

"That's all very well, and really kind of obvious, but if you stop and think about it," He stated, he walked over to the lead meme and pulled its arm off, "A Repeated Meme is just an idea. And that's all they are, an idea."

"Knew that there was something off about them," Alice's voice muttered, she had tuned in.

He smirked slightly and pulled on the wires dangling from the arm. All the memes collapsed in unison with the leader. The people surrounding the area all stepped back in surprise as Cassandra looked around in slight worry.

"Remote controlled Droids. Nice little cover for the real troublemaker. Go on, Jimbo. Go home," The Doctor stated giving the spider a nudge.

It returned to Cassandra and the piece of skin glared at him. He was almost impressed with the amount of spite she was able to project without eyebrows or muscles. He felt anger at the woman who had dared to try and harm his bonded. No wonder his mother had been able to fight men twice her size when his father had been harmed. He wanted justice, and he knew that having her tried for her crimes was the best form.

"I bet you were the school swot and never got kissed. At arms!" Cassandra ordered her attendants.

They raised their spray guns and the Doctor held his hands up in mock surrender.

"What are you going to do, moisturize me?" He asked Rose and Alice gave snorts in unison at that.

"With acid. Oh, you're too late, anyway. My spiders have control of the mainframe. Oh, you all carried them as gifts; tax-free, past every code wall. I'm not just a pretty face," Cassandra stated.

"Sabotaging a ship while you're still inside it? How stupid's that?" He pointed out.

"I'd hoped to manufacture a hostage situation with myself as one of the victims. The compensation would have been enormous," She stated in an offhanded tone.

"It's always about money," Alice muttered.

"Five billion years and it still comes down to money," The Doctor spoke both of their thoughts.

"Do you think it's cheap, looking like this? Flatness costs a fortune. I am the last human, Doctor. Me. Not that freaky little kid of yours, and certainly not that slag you call a wife," Cassandra growled.

The Doctor glowered at her as Rose joined him. She was not freaky and Alice was nowhere near being a slag. That was her friend that bitchy trampoline was talking about.

"Arrest her, the infidel!" Moxx ordered.

"Oh, shut it, pixie. I've still got my final option," Cassandra snapped.

"Earth Death in three minutes," The Computer announced.

"And here it comes. You're just as useful dead, all of you. I have shares in your rival companies and they'll triple in price as soon as you're dead. My spiders are primed and ready to destroy the safety systems. How did that old Earth song go? Burn, baby, burn," Cassandra stated.

"Then you'll burn with us," Jabe pointed out.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I know the use of teleportation is strictly forbidden, but I'm such a naughty thing. Spiders activate!" Cassandra gave her order and the entire platform shook, "Forcefields gone with the planet about to explode. At least it'll be quick. Just like my fifth husband. Oh, shame on me."

"Safety systems failing," The Computer announced.

"Bye, bye, darlings. Bye, bye, my darlings," Cassandra stated before exiting the ship surrounded by a beam of light.

"Doctor, it's getting pretty warm in here and the earpiece is starting to create static," Alice informed him, "I'll have to turn it off, good luck."

He clenched his fists slightly at his anger at Cassandra and nervousness for Alice. Rose rested a hand on her face and gently let out a small sob. She was scared, more than she had been in her entire life. Alice was missing and there was a possibility that she could die on a spaceship in the future without telling her mum that she loved her.

"Heat levels rising," The Computer stated.

"Reset the computer," Moxx stated.

"Only the Steward would know how," Jabe replied.

"No. We can do it by hand. There must be a system restore switch. Jabe, come on. You lot, just chill," The Doctor ordered.

"Heat rising," The Computer stated, "Earth Death in two minutes. Earth Death in two minutes."

He rolled his eyes at the computer as he rushed back to the engine room with Jabe. They were making good time through the ship. He could feel it getting a bit warmer as they progressed. They quickly headed into the engine room and he looked around for the switch.

"Heat levels critical," The Computer stated.

"Oh. And guess where the switch is," The Doctor stated.

"Heat levels rising. Heat levels rising," The Computer stated, it was almost mocking him.

He pulled the brake lever that was stationed on a nearby wall and the fans slowed just a little. He let it go and as soon as he made it near the first one they started back on their original speed. He inwardly cursed at that.

"External temperature five thousand degrees," The Computer announced.

The fans slowed down and the Doctor turned to see Jabe holding down the lever. She gave him a determined look before smiling. He knew what would happen to her. He had to talk her out of it.

"You can't. The heat's going to vent through this place," He stated.

"I know," Jabe replied.

"Jabe, you're made of wood," He tried again.

"Then stop wasting time, Time Lord," She stated, "You have all of us on board depending on you and someone special who is in trouble. She's counting on you."

He gave a nod at that and headed past the first propeller. He then felt terror on Alice's end and he quickly quickened his pace. The glass had to be breaking that could be the only reason for her fear to be as strong as it had been when the filter had descended. He made it past the second when he heard a shout. He turned back to Jabe and his eyes widened in horror as she burst into flames and burned from the heat. The breaker destroyed her corpse as it jumped back into place, the ashes falling to the ground in a peaceful way. He looked up towards the final fan and closed his eyes. He could time it right if he listened. Everything slowed down for him as he took a step of faith. He opened his eyes and ran to the reset breaker before pulling it.

"Raise shields!" He loudly ordered the computer.

He had missed the countdown until the Earths death due to all the panic. The shields raised and he felt relief, sadness, and slight pain from Alice. He headed out of the engine room and made his way to her. He had no clue why she'd be in pain. He worried that the worst had happened. He came across the observation room and opened the doors. She was huddled against a wall and staring out the window with tears going down her face. There was a trail of blood following her path and he noticed the angry burn on her arm. She had gotten grazed by the heat of the sun rays. She turned to look at him and she jumped to her feet and rushed over to him to envelop him in an embrace. He quickly wrapped his arms around her and held her close as she started to calm down.

"What happened?" She asked, "To Jabe?"

"The heat," He quietly told her.

"I see," She sadly muttered into his chest.

He was almost amused by how she was hugging him. She was attempting to hide her face, which was sure as red as her ears were. He gently pulled away from the hug and noticed how calm she was. She smiled at him and he offered his hand. A tiny smile appeared on her face as she accepted and they headed back to the main deck. As soon as the doors opened Rose came up to them and enveloped Alice in a hug which was happily returned. The Doctor gave a relieved sigh before heading over to the remaining trees and informing them of what happened.

"You could've died," Rose stated, her grip tightening, "you should be more careful."

"I'll try, Rose," Alice stated as she gave a strained smile.

"You all right?" Rose asked, turning to face the Doctor.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm full of ideas, I'm bristling with them. Idea number one, teleportation through five thousand degrees needs some kind of feed. Idea number two, this feed must be hidden nearby," He stated, a crash followed his words and he was tossed the device by a grim looking Alice, "Idea number three, if you're as clever as me, then a teleportation feed can be reversed."

"Oh, you should have seen their little alien faces," Cassandra stated as she was beamed back into the room, "oh."

"The last human," The Doctor stated in a cold tone, it was nothing compared to the impressive glare on Alice's face.

"So, you passed my little test. Bravo. This makes you eligible to join, er, the Human Club," She stated.

"You murdered people, Cassandra," Alice stated, "As far as I'm concerned that a pretty heavy crime."

"It depends on your definition of people, and that's enough of a technicality to keep your lawyers dizzy for centuries. Take me to court, then, Doctor," Cassandra stated as a creaking sound filled the air, "and watch me smile and cry and flutter-"

"And creak?" The Doctor asked.

"And what?" She questioned.

"You're creaking," Alice pointed out.

"What? Ah! I'm drying out! Oh, sweet heavens. Moisturize me, moisturize me! Where are my surgeons? My lovely boys! It's too hot!" Cassandra cried.

"You raised the temperature," The Doctor informed her.

"Have pity! Moisturize me! Oh, oh, Doctor. I'm sorry. I'll do anything," Cassandra begged.

"Help her," Rose gently asked the two.

"Everything has its time and everything dies," The Doctor stated.

"I'm too young!" Cassandra cries before her skin tore into pieces and blood flew everywhere.

All the guests headed back to the shuttles and the three travelers headed back to the observation deck with the Tardis. Rose looked out at the debris with a sad expression. She hadn't missed the Earth being destroyed and neither had Alice if the expression on the woman's face was anything to go by. The brunette turned and headed into the Tardis, she didn't want to see the broken planet anymore.

"The end of the Earth. It's gone. We were too busy saving ourselves. No one saw it go. All those years, all that history, and no one was even looking. It's just," Rose trailed off.

The Doctor gave a sad smile at that.

"Come with me," He told her.

He headed back into the Tardis and Rose followed behind. Alice was sitting on a sofa that was nestled into a corner of the railings. He pressed a few buttons and pulled some levers. The Tardis took off and he knew that this trip would only take a few minutes. The Tardis landed and Rose walked out into a bustling London. Alice and the Doctor joined her.

"You think it'll last forever, people and cars and concrete, but it won't. One day it's all gone. Even the sky. My planet's gone. It's dead. It burned like the Earth. It's just rocks and dust before its time," The Doctor stated.

"What happened?" Rose asked.

"There was a war and we lost," The Doctor replied.

"A war with who? What about your people?" Rose questioned.

"I'm a Time Lord. I'm the last of the Time Lords. They're all gone. I'm the only survivor. I'm left traveling on my own 'cos there's no one else," The Doctor stated and he knew that to be a half-truth.

He looked towards Alice and noted the pendant that was glowing sadly at his words. He knew that he wouldn't be the last very soon. She seemed to feel his eyes on her and gently grabbed his hand. He wondered what they looked like to others, he probably looked like a creep holding the hand of a younger woman.

"You have us," Alice reminded him.

"You've seen how dangerous it is. Do you want to go home?" The Doctor asked Rose.

"I don't know. I want," Rose started before smelling something, "Oh, can you smell chips?"

"Oh yes," Alice stated as her stomach growled.

"I guess that's a clear vote on chips," Rose chuckled, "I want chips as well."

"Me too," The Doctor grinned.

"Right then, before you get me back in that box, chips it is, and you can pay," Rose stated.

"Sorry no money," The Doctor stated, holding up his jacket for emphasis.

"What sort of date are you?" Alice teased before turning to Rose, "It's on me then."

Rose laughed as the three headed to go get some chips. They had plenty of time to get some chips before the shops closed. She was happy with that.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5. _The Rising Dead_

* * *

"Less than a week," Alice muttered as she pulled her hair back from her face, "and look how long it's gotten, that there is alien."

The Tardis responded in amusement and Alice let out a chuckle as she clipped the fringe back with a bobby pin. She headed out of her room and headed to the main console. The Doctor was moving around the controls with a frown on his face. He seemed to know she was there and sent her a confused look as she joined him.

"You change your hair?" He asked.

"I did," Alice confirmed, "Does it look bad?"

"Not at all," He grinned.

She smiled back before sitting down on the small couch with a blue journal on her lap. He was interested in what she was doing when he saw a rather good sketch of Boe. He hadn't known that she could draw. He was slightly impressed when he saw that it was all done in ink. He sat down next to her and she bumped shoulders with him. She winced slightly, the burn on her arm had been far more serious than she had expected and was taking a while to heal.

"So where are we going next?" Alice asked they were waiting for Rose to wake up.

"How does eighteen sixty sound?" The Doctor grinned.

"Fantastic," Alice smiled.

His grin increased at those words as Rose finally made an appearance. She stretched slightly before grinning at the two in greeting. They grinned back before the Doctor jumped up and began to pilot the Tardis. They entered a jerky flight and the Doctor began to give out orders to the two women.

"Rose! Hold that one down!" He called to the blonde as Alice held down two separate levers.

"I'm holding this one down!" Rose pointed out.

"Well, hold them both down," He replied.

"It's not going to work," Rose informed him.

"She doesn't have a hundred centimeter arms, Doctor," Alice pointed out as the Tardis harshly lurched to the right.

"I promised you a time machine and that's what you're getting," The Doctor informed her as he pressed another button, "Now, you've seen the future, let's have a look at the past. Eighteen sixty. How does eighteen sixty sound?"

"What happened in eighteen sixty?" Rose asked.

"I don't know, let's find out. Hold on, here we go!" The Doctor exclaimed before pushing the final button.

Three things happened as they had a rough landing. One, Rose found out that she was rather flexible as her legs went over her head. Two, the Doctor found out how heavy Alice was, and finally, Alice was welcomed to the sight of a rather flustered Doctor.

"Blimey!" Rose stated before laughing.

"Sorry," Alice quickly stated before jumping to her feet and helping him up.

"You're telling me. Are you all right?" The Doctor asked the two.

"Yeah. I think so. Nothing is broken here," Rose gave her affirmative.

"The same situation," Alice stated as she rolled her shoulders.

"Did we make it? Where are we?" Rose questioned.

"I did it. Give the man a medal," The Doctor replied, "Earth, Naples, December 24th, 1860."

"It's Christmas?" Alice quietly asked, "Fun date to choose."

"That's so weird. It's Christmas," Rose stated.

"All yours," He replied.

"It is weird though," Alice pointed out.

"Christmas, 1860. Happens once, just once and it's gone, it's finished, it'll never happen again. Except for you," Rose confirmed, "You can go back and see days that are dead and gone a hundred thousand sunsets ago. No wonder you never stay still."

"It's not a bad life," He grinned.

"Better with three," Rose winked before heading towards the doors, "Come on, then."

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" He asked.

"You'd start a riot, Rose," Alice smiled, "Too much ankle for these simple men. We should find a change of clothes."

"You haven't discovered it yet?" The Doctor asked in slight surprise.

"Nope, I respect the privacy of the Tardis," Alice shrugged, "I only adventure when she lets me."

"First left, second right, third on the left, go straight ahead, under the stairs, past the bins, fifth door on your left," He told the two.

Alice and Rose shared a smile before following his directions. The wardrobe they found caused their jaws to drop. Levels upon levels of clothes filled the area. Some were modern and slightly futuristic and others were old and antique. They began to search for the Victorian clothes and Rose let out the sound of victory when she found them. Alice joined her and her eyebrows raised in surprise as she looked at the multitude of dresses. A cream dress that buttoned up to the chin caught her attention and she pulled it from the hanger. It was long sleeved so it would cover the burn on her arm. Rose was holding onto a black and red off the shoulder dress. The two changed in separate areas and then met back up. Rose blinked in surprise at the multicolored coat that was on Alice's shoulders.

"It's like a technicolor dream," Alice stated with a small chuckle, "Always wanted a colorful coat like this."

"You don't seem the type," Rose stated.

"I've got the look of doom and gloom," Alice grinned before they linked their arms and headed back to the main room.

The Doctor was under a console fixing some wires when he heard the sound of boots hitting the metal floor. He popped back up and looked towards the two women. His eyebrows raised in surprise at how well the period dress suited them. He felt his mouth dry at the very familiar coat that was on Alice. He was rather overjoyed that she was wearing something that he used to wear.

"You both look beautiful," He finally stated as he climbed out from under the console.

"Aren't you going to change?" Rose questioned.

"I've changed my jumper. Come on," He grinned in response.

"You stay there. You two have done this before. This is mine," Rose grinned at the two before heading out the doors.

"That snow?" Alice muttered in confusion at the fluffy white flecks that fluttered to the ground.

A small smile grew on her face as she joined the blonde outside. She was slightly happy that she had chosen to wear the Technicolor coat. It was warmer than it looked. Snow had already begun to stick to her hair and the Doctor smiled as he stepped out and joined them.

"Here we are, history," The Doctor stated, he took a hold of Alice's hand.

Rose linked her arm with Alice as they began to walk through the alley that the Tardis had landed in. They headed into a rather busy street that had a choir singing 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen' as people passed them. The Doctor frowned slightly as he looked around and Alice joined in on his confusion before a look of understanding appeared on her face. He quickly headed towards a newspaper hawker and bought a newspaper. He checked it and let out a heavy sigh.

"I got the flight a bit wrong," The Doctor stated.

"I don't care," Rose stated.

"It's not 1860, it's 1869," He informed her.

"I don't care," She replied with a grin.

"And it's not Naples," He continued.

"I don't care," Was her reply once again.

"It's Cardiff," He stated.

Rose stopped in her tracks and Alice gained a confused expression. She followed after the Doctor with a frown. She didn't know what was wrong with Cardiff. Was there something about Cardiff that she needed to be wary about?

"What's wrong with Cardiff?" Alice quietly asked the Doctor as Rose quickly caught up with them.

He went to reply but was cut off by screams from the nearby theatre. The three turned to look at the group of people that were running out of the doors. The Doctor gained a grin as he found out why the Tardis had him land in this time. There was trouble afoot and he had to put a stop to it.

"That's more like it!" The Doctor stated.

"People are in danger, Doctor," Alice scolded slightly, "That's not a good thing!"

The three ran into the theatre and they all looked at the blue entity flying around the auditorium of the theatre. Alice looked around in amazement at the way it traveled. Her head tilted slightly as it flew around the gas lamps and continued its hellish wailing.

"Stay in your seats, I beg you. It is a lantern show. It's trickery!" A man on the stage called.

"Fantastic," The Doctor stated as he watched the body of a woman fall to the ground.

He knew that the strange entity had come from the body, that woman had been dead for a while. The color of her skin and the way the veins protruded were enough to tell him that. He swallowed slightly at the disbelief from Alice. He turned to look at her and gained an apologetic expression at her raised eyebrows. He really needed to calm down a little when it came to new things, he hadn't meant it to come out the way it had. He rushed towards the stage and headed towards the man.

"Did you see where it came from?" The Doctor asked the bearded man.

"Ah, the wag reveals himself, does he? I trust you're satisfied, sir!" The man stated in a gruff voice.

"Oi! Leave her alone! Doctor, I'll get them!" Rose called.

"I'll do damage control with the people," Alice told the Doctor, "Behave yourself, Doctor."

"Be careful!" He told the two, he then turned to the man, "Did it say anything? Can it speak? I'm the Doctor, by the way."

Alice was already getting people out of the building with ease as they followed her calm directions. The police around her helped by adopting the same calm tones. Rose was running after the group with the woman's body.

"Doctor? You look more like a navvie," The man replied.

"What's wrong with this jumper?" The Doctor asked in confusion.

The entity flew around the room a few more times before escaping into the nearest gaslight. That action caused the Doctor to frown in slight confusion before becoming amazed. A grin appeared on his face in slight amazement. It was something new, his knowledge of the universe was growing and it made him excited. Things had been the same for the longest time for him, and now things were new.

"Gas! It's made of gas!" The Doctor exclaimed.

"Rose!" Alice's called grabbed his attention.

She was moving through the sea of people towards a hearse. He saw a very familiar blonde being put into the back of the hearse. He climbed off the stage and started to move towards his bonded to help save the blonde.

"You're not escaping me, sir. What do you know about that hobgoblin, hmm? Projection on a glass, I suppose. Who put you up to it?" The bearded man asked as he followed after.

"Damn it all," Alice cursed as she headed towards a carriage and climbed in, "Doctor, C'mon!"

He quickly ran to the carriage and climbed in. The man followed after with a frown on his face. The man had no clue what was going on. His reading had been ruined by the prank he thought was played by the man. He noted the short-haired woman in the carriage that was frowning in worry.

"Follow that hearse!" The Doctor ordered.

"I can't do that, sir," The Driver stated.

"Why not?" Alice questioned.

"I'll tell you why not. I'll give you a very good reason why not. Because this is my coach," The Man stated.

"Well, get in, then," The Doctor dragged him inside the carriage and Alice moved so that there was room, "Move!"

The carriage began to move down the street as the Doctor looked out the window and frowned. They were moving far too slow to catch up to the hearse that had Rose inside of it. Alice sat in the seat across from him and he watched as she ran a hand down her face before sighing. He felt the guilt and sent her a look. It hadn't been her fault.

"Come on, you're losing them," The Doctor informed the driver.

"Everything in order, Mister Dickens?" The driver asked.

"Did he say, Dickens?" Alice asked the Doctor.

"No! It is not!" Dickens replied to the Driver.

"Are you really Charles Dickens, the Charles Dickens?" Alice asked getting his attention, "I absolutely adore your books!"

"Should I remove the gentleman and the lady, sir?" The Driver asked.

"You are brilliant you are," Alice stated as she looked towards the Doctor, "My husband and I have read all of your books, Great Expectations and Oliver Twist are some of my personal favorites."

"That's right, what's the other one, the one with the ghost?" The Doctor asked, playing along since it seemed to be working with the man.

He was just happy that Alice had referred to him as 'husband'. Pretty soon he'd have to make it official. He needed to ask her to begin the time lord's way of courting. He just wasn't sure when he could bring it up to her. He guessed he needed to play it by ear.

"A Christmas Carol?" Dickens asked he snapped the Doctor out of his thoughts.

"No, no, no, the one with the trains," The Doctor stated before snapping his fingers, "The Signal-Man, that's it. Terrifying! The best short story that was ever written. You're a genius."

"You want me to get rid of them, sir?" The Driver asked.

"Er, no, I think the lovely couple can stay," Dickens stated, he was growing a bit fond of the two and it wasn't from their genuine compliments.

"We don't mean to be rude Mr. Dickens," Alice stated, "But our friend was just kidnapped by the owners of that hearse, she's only nineteen and was trying to help the old woman that collapsed."

The Doctor could appreciate how quick to the point she could be. Dickens' eyes widened in surprise at the news, he then noted the worried expression playing on the woman's face. She was odd to him; there was sadness to the two in the carriage with him, a sadness that he couldn't fathom. He could dwell on it later, at the moment there was a much more important situation at hand.

"Why are we wasting my time talking about dry old books?" Dickens asked, he then shouted out to the Driver, "Driver, be swift! The chase is on!"

"Yes, sir!" The Driver happily agreed.

The speed picked up and Alice let out a very small yelp as she hit the wall of the carriage. She had hit right into her injured arm. The Doctor immediately turned to her and she waved him off with a very small smile. She'd live; it just surprised her all of a sudden. Dickens felt a small smile appear at how close the two were; it was odd he had never seen a husband be that attentive to his wife before. The carriage stopped after a while and the driver got off of the driver's seat and opened the door to help Dickens out. The Doctor followed suit and held out a hand to Alice who happily accepted help out of the carriage. The three left the driver behind as they headed to the door and knocked. A maid with dark brown hair opened the door.

"I'm sorry, sir's, Madam. We're closed," The Maid told them.

"Nonsense. Since when did an Undertaker keep office hours? The dead don't die on schedule. I demand to see your master," Dickens stated, the maid looked at the three's faces.

"He's not in, sir," She didn't like lying to people.

"Don't lie to me, child. Summon him at once," Dickens commanded.

"I'm awfully sorry, Mister Dickens, but the master's indisposed," The woman stated.

The gas lamp flared and Alice let out a sharp breath. There was something wrong in the house. There was something wrong on this day. She couldn't figure out what it was. It was as if something was on the edge of her mind screaming at her to run or fight. It was setting her on edge.

"Having trouble with your gas?" The Doctor asked.

"What the Shakespeare is going on?" Dickens asked as Alice finally moved past them.

"I'm really sorry, but you lot kidnapped an innocent woman," Alice stated, "Excuse me while I collect my friend."

Alice brushed past the maid with ease and headed down a hallway. The maid let out a sound of surprise at the woman's boldness. The Doctor followed Alice's lead and headed inside. He looked towards the flaring gas lamp and pressed his ear against the wall. He frowned when he heard something moving inside.

"You're not allowed inside, sir," The maid informed him.

"There's something inside the walls," The Doctor stated, "The gas pipes. Something's living inside the gas."

A yell alerted Alice to where Rose was and she headed past the man who ran the mortuary and straight to the door that led to the room that held her. She tried the knob and frowned. It was locked, and she realized something because of that. She was going to do something that she hadn't done in literal years.

"Rose, back away from the door," Alice ordered as she ignored the owner.

Rose shuffled back from the door and screamed in slight fear as a foot came through the wood and the door fell off its hinges. She had been expecting the Doctor on the other side, not Alice with a leg up and a slightly manic glint in her eyes. She didn't care as the corpses behind her began to lumber forward. She rushed out of the room and Alice glared at the corpses.

"Whoever you are, you need to stop this," Alice growled, "Who are you? What is it that you want?"

The Doctor rushed forward and noted that the corpses had stopped in front of Alice and she was looking up at them without any fear. He was starting to wonder about her strong sense of justice and morals. They were going to get her hurt, and he'd rather not see that happen again. The corpses stared right at her and he noted that their eyes centered on the pendant that hung from her neck.

"Communications are failing. Open the rift. We're dying. Trapped in this form. Cannot sustain. Help us. Argh!" The corpses stated.

The blue gas exited from the corpses and returned to the gas lamps. The corpses fell to the ground and Alice stared at them for a few seconds as a contemplative expression filled her face. The Doctor grabbed onto her hand as Rose sighed in quiet relief that it seemed to have calmed down for a while. Everyone adjourned to the living room as the maid poured tea for everyone.

"I was going to yell at you," Alice told the old man, "But I know for a fact that she can yell far better than I can, after you, Rose."

The blonde glared at the older man and he slumped into his chair at his slight fear of the younger woman. He had never met a woman that could glare like the two aristocratic women in the room. He was a bit more fearful of the brunette seeing as she kicked down one of his doors with ease.

"First of all you drug me, then you kidnap me, and don't think I didn't feel your hands having a quick wander, you dirty old man," Rose tore into him with quick words and a loud voice.

"I won't be spoken to like this!" The man tried to defend himself.

"You deserve it, Sneed," Alice growled from her position on a chair next to the fireplace.

The Doctor smirked at that as he leaned against the fireplace and watched as his bonded sighed in anger. He was on a roller coaster of different emotions with her. She was angry, relieved, close to throwing a punch, and ready for an alcoholic beverage. He hadn't even known some of those could be emotions.

"You stuck me in a room full of zombies! And if that ain't enough, you swan off and leave me to die! So come on, talk!" Rose yelled at the man, Alice was proud of the blonde.

"It's not my fault. It's this house. It always had a reputation. Haunted. But I never had much bother until a few months back, and then the stiffs, the, er, dearly departed started getting restless," Sneed stated.

"Tommyrot," Dickens stated.

"You witnessed it," Sneed told him, "I can't keep the beggars down, sir. They walk. And it's the queerest thing, but they hang on to scraps."

The maid, who Alice had learned was named Gwyneth, walked over to the two near the fireplace with their cups of tea. She stopped at Alice first. She held out a teacup to the brunette and the brunette accepted it with a small smile.

"Plain and strong with just a hint of peppermint, just how you like it miss," Gwyneth softly stated.

"Thank you," Alice thanked as she took a small sip of the tea.

She couldn't help but think that Gwyneth could make a really good cup of tea. She made a cuppa better than her Grandmum. It was something that had gone to her grave when the woman had passed away. The tea was something that her Grandmum had made her when she had nightmares after her parent's death. A sad smile appeared on her face as she sipped on the tea. Gwyneth handed the Doctor his cup of tea.

"Two sugars, sir, just how you like it," She smiled at him before heading back to the trolley with the tea kettle on it.

The Doctor looked at Gwyneth in surprise. He hadn't told her that, he hadn't told anyone that. Judging by the melancholy feelings coming from Alice she was in a similar position. She was nursing the cup of tea in her hands as she stared at the fireplace lost in thoughts.

"One old fellow who used to be a sexton almost walked into his own memorial service. Just like the old lady going to your performance, sir, just as she planned," Sneed informed them.

"Morbid fancy," Dickens stated with a scoff.

"Oh, Charles, you were there," The Doctor stated with a frown.

"I saw nothing but an illusion," Dickens argued.

"If you're going to deny it, don't waste my time. Just shut up," The Doctor stated, "What about the gas?"

"That's new, sir," Sneed admitted, "Never seen anything like that."

"Means it's getting stronger, the rift's getting wider and something's sneaking through," The Doctor stated.

"It's coming through a hole in space and time?" Alice questioned, "Are you sure that it's peaceful then?"

Dickens got up and left the room, slamming the door behind him. He didn't want to hear such fanciful stories. Alice rolled her eyes slightly before frowning slightly. She thought back to the creatures and frowned even more. There was something dangerous about them, something that her gut was telling her not to trust. She couldn't really put it into words and 'woman's intuition' wasn't a very good excuse.

"I think he's checking for wires," Alice muttered as she took another sip of her tea.

The Doctor went after Dickens after gently patting Alice's shoulder. Alice smiled slightly before turning back to her tea. Sneed let out a sigh and wiped at his sweaty forehead with a handkerchief. Gwyneth left to clean things up and Rose followed after. Alice sighed quietly before following after; she didn't want to be left in the room with the slightly perverted old man. The Doctor ended up finding Dickens checking the bodies in the coffins.

"Checking for strings?" He asked, startling the man.

"Wires, perhaps. There must be some mechanism behind this fraud," Dickens explained.

"Oh, come on, Charles. All right," The doctor stated, walking towards the man, "I shouldn't have told you to shut up. I'm sorry. But you've got one of the best minds in the world. You saw those gas creatures."

"I cannot accept that," Dickens argued.

"And what does the human body do when it decomposes? It breaks down and produces gas," The Doctor stated, "Perfect home for these gas things. They can slip inside and use it as a vehicle, just like your driver and his coach."

"Stop it," Dickens snapped, he then turned melancholy, "Can it be that I have the world entirely wrong?"

"Not wrong. There's just more to learn," The Doctor answered.

"I've always railed against the fantasists. Oh, I loved an illusion as much as the next man reveled in them, but that's exactly what they were, illusions," Dickens admitted, "The real world is something else. I dedicated myself to that. Injustices, the great social causes. I hoped that I was a force for good. Now you tell me that the real world is a realm of specters and jack-o'-lanterns. In which case, have I wasted my brief span here, Doctor? Has it all been for nothing?"

The Doctor didn't have an answer for that. He made a face and sighed quietly. He wished that he had the answers to the questions that people asked him. As knowledgeable that he was, he didn't know everything. If he did, then there would be no point of traveling. He looked towards the gas lamps and heard the quiet whispers of the beings in the gas pipes.

Meanwhile in the pantry, Rose and Alice were helping to clean up. Gwyneth looked at them in surprise as she lit the gas lamp. She hadn't expected two well-bred women to help clean up after themselves. One of them was wearing a rather fanciful coat that was far too colorful and had to have cost a fortune to be made.

"Please, miss, you shouldn't be helping. It's not right," Gwyneth told the two.

"Don't be daft. Sneed works you to death," Rose told her, "How much do you get paid?"

"Eight pounds a year, miss," Gwyneth replied.

"That's quite a bit for this time period," Alice stated in surprise, "You go to school as well?"

"Of course I did. What do you think I am an urchin?" Gwyneth asked, "I went every Sunday, nice and proper."

"What, once a week?" Rose asked.

"We did sums and everything. To be honest, I hated every second," Gwyneth smiled at the two who returned it.

"Me too," Rose stated.

"Oh god, I was there for so long," Alice stated, "It's even worse when it's from before sunrise to after sunset."

"That's so long, Miss," Gwyneth stated, "Don't tell anyone, but one week, I didn't go and ran on the heath all on my own."

"Oh my, my Grandmum would've had my head if I had done that," Alice chuckled, "You are far braver than I."

"I did plenty of that. I used to go down the shops with my mate Shareen. We used to go and look at boys," Rose chuckled.

"Well, I don't know much about that, miss," Gwyneth backed up slightly at that; the women were strange to her and talking about things that were usually kept between ladies of higher stature.

"Come on, times haven't changed that much. I bet you've done the same," Rose prodded.

"I don't think so, miss," Gwyneth looked down slightly at that.

"Gwyneth, it's all right," Alice told her, "You can tell us, and I bet you have your eye on someone."

"I suppose. There is one lad," Gwyneth admitted, "The butcher s boy. He comes by every Tuesday. Such a lovely smile on him."

"I like a nice smile," Rose stated, "Good smile, nice bum."

"You are horrible," Alice chuckled at her wording.

"Well, I have never heard the like," Gwyneth stated in a scandalized tone.

"Ask him out. Give him a cup of tea or something, that's a start," Rose told her.

Gwyneth stared at the two women in surprise as they shared a smile. They looked so proper, but the way they spoke was so wild. She locked eyes with the brunette; no modern was a much better word. She had to look away from the blue eyes; they were like looking into a bright sun. She burned brighter than anyone she had seen before, even the man she called husband was dimmer in comparison. She had gotten glimpses from the woman's memories, an old woman with a kind smile holding out a cup of tea and the memory of a dream where she was surrounded by those she cared deeply about. In that dream, they were just talking and enjoying each other's company. The Doctor stood out like a sore thumb from the group as he simply smiled at the scene. She snapped from her thoughts and looked towards the blonde.

"I swear it is the strangest thing, miss. You've got all the clothes and the breeding, but you talk like some sort of wild thing," Gwyneth stated.

"Maybe I am. Maybe that's a good thing. You need a bit more in your life than Mister Sneed," Rose informed her.

"Oh, now that's not fair. He's not so bad, old Sneed. He was very kind to me to take me in because I lost my mum and dad to the flu when I was twelve," Gwyneth told them.

"I'm so sorry," Alice softly told her, understanding showed on her face.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Rose sounded ashamed that she had insulted Sneed several times without knowing the whole story.

"Thank you, miss. But I'll be with them again, one day, sitting with them in paradise," Gwyneth stated with a sad smile, Alice gave one of her own, "I shall be so blessed. They're waiting for me. Maybe your dad's up there waiting for you too, miss. Perhaps your Gran is there as well, Miss Ally."

"Maybe. Er, who told you he was dead?" Rose asked.

"That's not possible, how could you know that?" Alice quietly questioned.

"I don't know. Must have been the Doctor," Gwyneth quickly stated.

"I've never told the Doctor about my grandparents," Alice quietly stated, "And Rose has never said anything about her dad to him."

"But you've been thinking about them lately more than ever," Gwyneth stated without a second thought.

Their surprise had allowed her to see more from them. Alice had dimmed slightly from her surprise and she was able to get a clear read on her. The police officer who had seen far too much death and in such a short span of time, those memories that she could see cause a shiver to go down her spine. Her husband may have gone by Doctor, but she had a feeling that she knew his name.

"I have been," Rose admitted, "How did you know that?"

"Mister Sneed says I think too much. I'm all alone down here. I bet you've got dozens of servants, haven't you, miss?" Gwyneth asked.

"No, no servants where I'm from," Rose chuckled.

"And you've come such a long way, both of you," Gwyneth stated, the two didn't get to ask what she meant as the maid continued, "You're from London and Edinburgh. I've seen those cities in drawings, but never like that. All those people rushing about half-naked, for shame. And the noise, and the metal boxes racing past, and the birds in the sky, no, they're metal as well. Metal birds with people in them. People are flying. And you, you've flown so far. Further than anyone. The things you've seen. The darkness and light, the big bad wolf and the supernova. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Misses."

"Are you all right?" Alice asked as she headed towards the cowering maid.

"It's all right," Rose told her as she joined in giving the girl comfort.

"I can't help it. Ever since I was a little girl, my mam said I had the sight. She told me to hide it," Gwyneth cried.

The Doctor appeared in the doorway and looked at the three women. He had gotten a flurry of emotions and had to investigate what had been causing them. He hadn't expected to hear what he had. The rift must've been opened for longer than he thought.

"But it's getting stronger, more powerful, is that right?" The Doctor asked her.

"All the time, sir. Every night, voices in my head," Her answer was all he needed to know.

"You grew up on top of the rift. You're part of it. You're the key," The Doctor told her as he worked it out in his head.

"I've tried to make sense of it, sir. Consulted with spiritualists, table rappers, all sorts," Gwyneth admitted.

"Well, that should help. You can show us what to do," The Doctor informed her.

"What do you mean?" Alice asked him.

"We're going to have a séance," He informed them.

Alice let out a suffering sigh at that and followed after him after shooting Gwyneth a sad smile. She was beginning to get antsy and she had no clue why. The longer that she was in the mortuary the more that feeling grew. She sat at the table with Sneed and Dickens as everyone else followed in. They took a seat and Gwyneth dimmed the lights before sitting down.

"This is how Madam Mortlock summons those from the Land of Mists, down in big town. Come, we must all join hands," Gwyneth ordered.

The Doctor took Alice's hand with ease as she ended up holding Rose's. Dickens let out another scoff and looked around the table. He thought that the brunette would be on his side with how silly this was. Her eyes snapped to him and he stood up straighter.

"I can't take part in this," Dickens stated.

"Humbug? Come on, open mind," The Doctor told him.

"This is precisely the sort of cheap mummery I strive to unmask. Séances? Nothing but luminous tambourines and a squeezebox concealed between the knees. This girl knows nothing," Dickens stated.

"Now, don't antagonize her. I love a happy medium," The Doctor stated, he got a smack to the arm from Alice for that innuendo, "Come on, we might need you.'

Dickens sat between Rose and Sneed and took their hands with a slightly sour expression on his face. He truly didn't believe in holding the séance. He knew an illusion when he saw one and he knew that this was one. He knew that séances were nothing but cheap tricks.

"Goodman. Now, Gwyneth, reach out,' The Doctor ordered.

Sneed took Gwyneth's other hand and Dickens as Gwyneth let out a sigh before taking a deep breath. She knew that she could do this. All she had to do was believe in herself. Even if the group around her didn't completely believe.

"Speak to us. Are you there? Spirits come. Speak to us that we may relieve your burden," Gwyneth ordered.

The whispering began and Alice froze slightly when her pendant heated up against the cloth of her dress. She could feel it through the thick cloth. The golden glow increased slightly as the whispering grew louder. She was getting an even worse feeling that something was off about these creatures.

"Can you hear that?" Rose asked.

"Look at Gwyneth," Alice quietly muttered.

"I see them. I feel them," Gwyneth stated as the whispering got loud enough for the Doctor to make out words.

He felt slight surprise mixed with suspicion and noted that Alice was looking up at the gas creatures with a frown. She could hear them as well. She mouthed some of what they said and her frown increased at their words.

"What's it saying?" Rose asked.

"They can't get through the rift, He answered her, "Gwyneth, it's not controlling you, you're controlling it. Now, look deep. Allow them through."

"I can't," Gwyneth stated.

"Yes, you can. Just believe it. I have faith in you, Gwyneth. Make the link," The Doctor stated.

"Yes," Gwyneth created the link and her eyes grew wide and stayed open.

Blue outlines appeared behind her and Alice was instantly on guard. The Doctor looked at her in surprise as she eyed the outlines with a weary look. She really didn't trust them.

"Great God! Spirits from the other side," Sneed stated.

"The other side of the universe," The Doctor corrected.

"Pity us. Pity the Gelth. There is so little time. Help us," The creatures stated.

"What do you want us to do?" The Doctor asked.

"The rift, take the girl to the rift. Make the bridge," The Gelth begged.

"What for?" The Doctor asked.

"We are so very few. The last of our kind," the Gelth stated, and that pushed the right buttons for the Doctor, "We face extinction."

"Why, what happened?" He asked.

"Once we had a physical form like you, but then the war came," was the reply.

"War? What war?" Dickens questioned, the Gelth looked towards him.

"The Time War. The whole universe convulsed. The Time War raged," They stated and the Doctor froze at that as guilt filled him, "Invisible to smaller species but devastating to higher forms. Our bodies wasted away. We're trapped in this gaseous state."

"So that's why you need the corpses," The Doctor worked out.

"We want to stand tall, to feel the sunlight, to live again. We need a physical form, and your dead are abandoned. They're going to waste. Give them to us," the Gelth pleaded.

"We can't," Rose stated.

"Why not?" The Doctor asked her.

"It's not. I mean, it's not," Rose struggled for a way to answer his inquiry.

"Not decent? Not polite? It could save their lives," He pointed out.

"Open the rift. Let the Gelth through. We're dying. Help us. Pity the Gelth," The Gelth stated before returning to their form and freeing Gwyneth.

Alice immediately went towards the collapsed woman and gently placed her fingers against her neck. There was a pulse, but it was weak. She narrowed her eyes slightly. Why would the Gelth leave her so weak if they needed her help? It didn't make sense to her. She easily lifted the woman and headed over to a small sofa and set her down.

"Here, she might need this to cool down," Rose informed her, holding out a wetted down rag she then turned to the Doctor, "You leave her alone."

She accepted with a small smile and placed the rag on Gwyneth's forehead to create some cooling effect. She wasn't used to helping people out in such a way. She was just following the way her Grandmother and Mum used to treat her when she had been sick as a child. She gently pushed Gwyneth's hair back from her face from the areas where it had come out from under the bonnet. Brown eyes opened and looked around in surprise.

"Just rest, you've used up quite a bit of energy," Alice softly told her.

Gwyneth shook her head slightly and removed the rag. She sat up slowly and Alice gently held out a hand and helped her into a sitting position. The maid accepted the help with ease.

"My angels miss, Gwyneth stated, "They came, didn't they? They need me?"

"They do need you, Gwyneth," The Doctor stated, "You're they're only chance of survival."

"I've told you, leave her alone," Rose growled, "She's exhausted and she's not fighting your battles. Drink this."

Rose handed Gwyneth a cup of tea. The maid accepted it with a small smile and began to drink it slowly. Sneed looked towards the group of women and was met with slightly angry blue eyes. He quickly looked away and fixed the Doctor a look.

"Well, what did you say, Doctor?" Sneed asked, "Explain it again. What are they?"

"Aliens," Came the reply.

"Like foreigners, you mean?" Sneed asked.

"Pretty foreign, yeah," The Doctor, "From up there."

"Brecon?" Sneed asked.

"Close," The Doctor replied in an amused tone before turning serious, "And they've been trying to get through from Brecon to Cardiff but the roads blocked. Only a few can get through and even then they're weak. They can only test drive the bodies for so long, then they have to revert to gas and hide in the pipes."

"Which is why they need the girl," Dickens worked out.

"They need to leave her alone," Alice pointed out, "Look how they left her when she attempted to communicate with them, going further can cost her, her life."

"Don't I get a say, miss?" Gwyneth asked.

"Sorry, I do tend to worry," Alice muttered and Gwyneth placed a hand on hers.

"I know miss, and you truly are worried," Gwyneth stated, "If there is a way that I can help my angels than I will. What do I need to do, Doctor?"

"You don't have to do anything," The Doctor stated as Alice gave him a blank expression.

"They've been singing to me since I was a child, sent by my mam on a holy mission," Gwyneth stated before turning to him with a determined look, "So tell me."

"We need to find the rift, this house is on a weak spot, so there must be a spot that's weaker than any other," The Doctor stated before turning to the owner of the house, "Mister Sneed, what's the weakest part of this house? The place where most of the ghosts have been seen?"

"That would be the morgue," Sneed replied.

"Of course it is," Alice muttered with a strange expression on her face.

"No chance he was going to say gazebo, was there?" Rose asked as she linked arms with the brunette.

"Sadly not," Alice chuckled slightly, she then turned serious and Rose tensed upon noticing the face, "I have a bad feeling about this, Rose, and it keeps on growing."

"That's a little Jedi," Rose attempted to joke as they all headed down the stairs and into the basement.

"Talk about Bleak House," The Doctor stated as he looked around the basement.

The corpses of the recently deceased were hidden and given privacy underneath crisp white sheets. Rose released Alice's arm and went to look up at the Doctor with a slight frown. Alice moved towards the archway and looked at it. Her face was blank as a shiver went down her spine. Something about the rift caused her some distress. The Doctor quickly looked towards her before frowning slightly, he didn't like being at odds with her. Usually, they were on the same side. For once they weren't, and he really didn't like it.

"The thing is, Doctor, the Gelth don't succeed, 'cos I know they don't," Rose stated getting his attention, "I know for a fact there weren't corpses walking around in 1869."

"Time's in flux, changing every second. Your cozy little world can be rewritten like that," He stated with a snap, "Nothing is safe. Remember that. Nothing."

"Doctor, I think the room is getting colder," Dickens pointed out.

Rose shivered slightly and looked towards the gas lamp. Alice drew the coat around her a bit more and placed her hands into the sleeves. She was getting chilled. She looked towards the archway and moved away from it, her body getting a bit warmer the further away from the arch she was.

"Here they come," Rose quietly stated.

"You've come to help," The Gelth's voice whispered before they appeared, "Praise the Doctor. Praise him."

"Promise you won't hurt her!" Rose ordered the Gelth.

"Hurry! Please, so little time," The Gelth ignored the order, "Pity the Gelth."

"I'll take you somewhere else after the transfer," The Doctor informed them, Alice looked up at him in surprise before a soft expression passed on her face, "Somewhere you can build proper bodies. This isn't a permanent solution, all right?"

That was enough for Alice; it was like a donor card. They were just using the bodies until they could make their own. That meant that the Doctor didn't really like the idea of the dead walking around. It did make her a little bit happy that he had told them that.

"My angels," Gwyneth whispered as she walked closer to the archway, "I can help them live."

"Okay, where's the weak point?" The Doctor asked.

"Here, beneath the arch," The Gelth responded.

"Beneath the arch," Gwyneth stated before walking below the archway.

Alice grasped at her chest as a sudden pain filled it. She let out a heavy breath as the pain continued. It was like something was trying to appear there. She held a hand to it and rested against the wall. The pain refused to subside as Gwyneth looked towards her.

"You don't have to do this," Alice pointed out, her voice a little gruff due to the pain.

"She's right," Rose nodded in agreement.

"My angels," Gwyneth shook her head.

"Establish the bridge," The Gelth commanded, "Reach out to the void. Let us through!"

"Yes, I can see you. I can see you. Come!" Gwyneth invited them through.

"Bridgehead establishing," The Gelth stated.

"Come to me. Come to this world, poor lost souls!" Gwyneth stated.

"It is begun. The bridge is made," The Gelth stated as Gwyneth opened her mouth and blue gas started to pour out of it, "She has given herself to the Gelth. The bridge is open. We descend."

The blue silhouettes turned into a flame red and grew sharp teeth. Alice let out a small grunt at that as sweat began to go down her face. The pain was slowly receding as she glared at the Gelth. She knew that there was something off about them. The Doctor backed up toward the brunette and took a hold of her hand.

"The Gelth will come through in force," The Gelth growled.

"You said that you were few in number," Dickens accused.

"A few billion," The Gelth responded, the Doctor glared at them, "And all of us in need of corpses."

The corpses began to get up and moved towards the group. Alice glared at them and stood up straight as her breathing returned to normal. The pain in her chest was gone as she intertwined her fingers with the Doctor's as a form of comfort to the slightly taller man.

"Gwyneth, stop this. Listen to your master. This has gone far enough. Stop dabbling, child, and leave these things alone, I beg of you," Sneed pleaded with Gwyneth.

"Mister Sneed, get back!" Rose warned as she backed up towards the Doctor and Alice.

A corpse grabbed onto him and he struggled before his neck was snapped. Alice's eyes widened in slight horror as her mind went into the autopilot that she had developed in her first month after three different murders. She looked towards the Gelth and her eyes narrowed at them.

"I think it's gone a little bit wrong," The Doctor stated.

"Good observation, Doctor," Alice stated in a blank tone, "These guys are gaseous right?"

"I have joined the legions of the Gelth," Sneed stated, stopping the Doctor from answering, "Come, and march with us."

"No," Dickens stated.

"We need bodies. All of you. Dead. The human race. Dead," The Gelth stated, they looked towards Alice, "You. You are not known to us, we cannot see you properly. You who crossed through a void. You will be quite the corpse."

"That'll never happen," Alice informed them with a glare, "Gwyneth, you need to stop them and send them back."

"I don't think she can hear us," Rose stated.

"Shite," Alice grumbled before she dragged the two to a small cell and closed the gate, "Guess we'll have to figure something out in here."

"Doctor, I can't. I'm sorry. This new world of yours is too much for me. I'm sorry," Dickens told them before he ran out of the basement.

"Can't blame him for that," Alice muttered as a corpse reached through the gate and slightly scratched her face.

The Doctor held onto her arm and pulled her closer to him. Normally she would've gained a pink tinge to her cheeks. She was ignoring anything she could've been feeling from her sudden closeness with the Doctor. There was something more important happening right in front of her.

"Give yourself to glory. Sacrifice your lives for the Gelth," The Gelth growled at them.

"Get bent," Alice bluntly told them.

"I trusted you. I pitied you!" The Doctor informed them.

"We don't want your pity. We want this world and all its flesh," The Gelth announced.

"Not while I'm alive," The Doctor informed them.

"Then live no more," The replied.

"But I can't die. Tell me I can't. I haven't even been born yet. It's impossible for me to die. Isn't it?" Rose asked as Alice began to sway a little on her feet and press a hand to her chin.

"I'm sorry," The Doctor replied.

"They are gaseous, but what range do they have?" Alice muttered, the Doctor jumped in surprise, "What can stop a gaseous creature without blowing up the house? The gas? They lived in the pipes for so long; perhaps filling the room with gas would work? No, there's still living people in the room. That could work though."

Rose looked at her in surprise when she turned towards the Gelth with a small smirk. They backed up slightly at the sight. She had figured out a relatively possible way to defeat them. They knew it too, the one person who hadn't trusted them from the start. Alice moved towards the gate and calculated her ability to run to the gas lamps, she then smiled when she heard something up above them.

"Bless you, Dickens," She quietly stated before turning to the Doctor, "The Gas, fill the room with gas and it'll pull them from the host; good old Dickens is already getting the lamps upstairs."

"Fantastic," The Doctor grinned at her before turning to a smiling Rose.

Dickens came into the room and was surprised when he saw three grinning faces.

"Hurry to the gas lamps in here, we'll try to get more pumping through the pipes," Alice ordered, he gave a curt nod and proceeded to turn the gas up on all the lamps, "Doctor, you mind pulling the pipes out?"

"My pleasure," The Doctor happily stated before easily ripping the gas pipe out of the wall.

The Gelth was forced to leave the corpses and the group headed out of their protective space. Alice glared up at the red figures flying around the ceiling. Rose let out a cough from the gas filling the room and Alice slowly followed after her. The coat was moved towards her mouth and she continued to cough slightly.

"Gwyneth, send them back. They lied. They're not angels," The Doctor told her.

"Liars?" Gwyneth asked.

"Look at me. If your mother and father could look down and see this, they'd tell you the same. They'd give you the strength. Now send them back!" The Doctor stated.

"C'mon Rose, we have to get out of here," Alice stated, "He won't leave her while she's still in danger."

Rose was a little unsure of leaving before nodding her head. Dickens escorted them out of the building and they started to breathe a little easier. The snow was starting to come down heavier and Rose moved closer to Alice for warmth. The brunette was looking towards the front door with worry written on her face. She could feel her worry growing when the Doctor didn't appear. She was tempted to run back inside and help him. In the basement, Gwyneth was staring at the Doctor in blank surprise.

"Remember that world you saw? Rose's world? All those people. None of it will exist unless you send them back through the rift," The Doctor stated.

"I can't send them back. But I can hold them. Hold them in this place, hold them here. Get out," Gwyneth told them as she removed some matches from her apron pocket.

"I can do it, please give it to me," The Doctor stated, he knew what would happen if he were to die here.

He felt sad before shaking it from his mind. He knew that Alice would be able to get up on her feet and continue with her life. She'd be able to use the Tardis and continue on with his legacy. Even if he didn't like the idea of her on her own. Gwyneth didn't move and he frowned in confusion. He stepped forward and checked for a pulse.

"I'm so sorry," He quietly stated.

"Go to her Doctor, and tell her I'm sorry," Gwyneth stated, a sad smile appeared on her face, "She was a good friend, even with how little I've known her for."

He nodded and kissed her forehead before rushing out of the basement. Gwyneth opened up the matchbox and looked up at the Gelth. Her eyes narrowed in a glare that was very reminiscence of Alice's. They had lied to her and killed Sneed. She would be joining her mother and father soon. A part of her wished to be able to spend a little more time with the companion of the Doctor and his wife. She heard when he took his last step in the house and struck the match.

The Doctor was caught up in the blast and landed heavily in the snow. Alice and Rose rushed forward to help him to his feet. He felt the relief and grief coming from Alice as he accepted her hands and she pulled him to his feet. His eyes met her's and he noticed how glossy they had become.

"She didn't make it, did she?" Alice asked.

"I'm sorry. She closed the rift," He told her.

"She was far too young," Rose stated.

"At such a cost. The poor child," Dickens quietly agreed.

"I did try, Rose, but Gwyneth was already dead," The Doctor informed the blonde, "She had been for at least five minutes."

"She was dead the moment she stood in the arch," Alice quietly said, all eyes turned towards her and she looked down at the ground, "The Gelth needed a leading body and Gwyneth was filled with power from the rift it's why she held on for so long, she was far braver than me."

"She saved the world. A servant girl. No one will ever know," Rose stated.

"But we will," Alice pointed out, "And it would be an insult not to remember her fondly and what she did."

"Right," Rose nodded.

"She was sorry that she couldn't get out in time," The Doctor informed the group.

They bowed their heads in slight prayer to the maid who had been braver than most men. The maid who gave her life so that the future would be safe. Alice felt tears beginning to fall down her face before she quickly brought a hand up to wipe them away.

"We should head back," She quietly told the Doctor.

The Doctor nodded at that and they began their trek to the Tardis. Alice was tired and wanted to clean up the scratch on her face, and Rose also wanted some sleep as well. They could travel the time vortex while the two women slept. The Doctor looked towards his bonded and noticed the dark circles under her eyes. He gently took her hand and she looked at him in slight surprise before a small smile appeared on her face as they made it to the Tardis.

"Right then, Charlie boy, I've just got to go into my, er, shed. Won't be long," The Doctor grinned.

"What are you going to do now?" Rose asked Dickens.

"I shall take the mail coach back to London, quite literally post-haste. This is no time for me to be on my own. I shall spend Christmas with my family and make amends to them. After all, I've learned tonight, there can be nothing more vital," Dickens smiled at them.

"You've cheered up," The Doctor pointed out.

"Exceedingly!" Dickens affirmed, "This morning, I thought I knew everything in the world. Now I know I've just started. All these huge and wonderful notions, Doctor. I'm inspired. I must write about them."

"Do you think that's wise?" Rose asked.

"I shall be subtle at first. The Mystery of Edwin Drood still lacks an ending. Perhaps the killer was not the boy's uncle. Perhaps he was not of this Earth. The Mystery of Edwin Drood and the Blue Elementals. I can spread the word, tell the truth," Dickens explained.

"Good luck with it. Nice to meet you. Fantastic," The Doctor stated.

"Thank you for the help, Mr. Dickens," Alice told him before giving the elderly man a hug, "Hope the writing goes well."

"Thank you, my dear," Dickens smiled at the brunette who walked into the blue boxes open doors.

He couldn't fathom what she was going to do inside of there. Her husband smiled at her sadly and he had a feeling that some important words were going to be exchanged soon. He smiled slightly at that, he was rooting for the couple he would have to base some characters off of them.

"Bye, then, and thanks," Rose told him before giving him a peck on the cheek.

"Oh, my dear. How modern. Thank you, but, I don't understand. In what way is this goodbye? Where are you going?" Dickens asked them as the blonde headed inside the box as well.

"You'll see. In the shed," The Doctor grinned.

"Upon my soul, Doctor, it's one riddle after another with you. But after all these revelations, there's one mystery you still haven't explained. Answer me this. Who are you?" Dickens asked.

"Just a friend passing through," Was the reply.

"But you have such knowledge of future times. I don't wish to impose on you, but I must ask you. My books. Doctor, do they last?" Dickens questioned.

"Oh, yes!" was the happy reply.

"For how long?" He implored.

"Forever, Right, Shed," The Doctor stated.

"Inside the small box? All three of you?" were Dickens's confused questions.

"Down boy," The Doctor joked, "See you."

The Doctor entered the Tardis and closed the door behind him. A very confused Dickens stood there staring at the box and waiting for something to happen. He had a feeling that something amazing was going to happen. The Doctor looked towards the main console and headed towards the two women who were looking at the monitor. Alice looked back at him and gave him a small nod before turning her attention back to the monitor. He itched to hold her hand.

"Won't it change history if he writes about blue ghosts?" Rose asked him.

"Rose, he dies in eighteen seventy, I don't think he ever gets to tell his story," Alice softly stated.

"Oh, no. He was so nice," Rose quietly stated.

"But in your time, he was already dead. We've brought him back to life, and he's more alive now than he's ever been, old Charlie boy," The Doctor told them as he pulled a lever, "Let's give him one last surprise."

Alice smiled softly as the sounds of the Tardis began to fill the air. Rose grinned as they watched as Dickens laughed in amazement after they left. Then the screen went black and they could hear the Tardis moving through the vortex. It would take them a while to get back to Rose's time. The Blonde gave a slight yawn before turning to Alice.

"I'm going to swan off for some sleep," Rose stated, "Have a nice night."

"'Night, Rose," Alice chuckled before giving her a smile.

Rose smiled back and headed towards her room. It was quiet in the main room as Alice removed the coat and draped it over her arm. The Doctor looked towards her and was surprised that he couldn't feel her presence. He felt as though he was listening to static before he started to feel it. It was a numbness that made him grow cold. He had felt that before, and he'd be damned if she was going to feel that.

"We should take care of that scratch," He quietly told her.

She gave a small nod at that and he led the way to the infirmary. He could hear her footsteps behind him and he looked back to see her staring into his back, a hand against her chest. A small frown appeared on her face and he finally felt something. It hit him hard as her grief finally showed itself. He opened the door to the infirmary and held out a hand for her to go in first. She walked in and he smiled at her surprise. The infirmary was clean and sanitary with all the instruments in easy to find places.

"Hop up on the table, the Doctor is in," He stated.

"I thought you were a Doctor of the scientific field," Alice stated as she sat down on the plastic covered table, "You have medical knowledge?"

"You can't live as long as I have without picking up a few things," He grinned as he pulled down antiseptic spray and a Band-Aid.

He turned and noticed that she was unbuttoning her dress so that she could breathe better. She stopped as soon as the collar of the dress was popped up and she began to play with her pendant. He grabbed a cotton ball from a small container and sprayed the antiseptic into it. She didn't even react when he cleaned up the scratch that had stopped bleeding. It wasn't that deep and he wasn't worried about it getting infected. He finished and quickly placed the Band-Aid over the cut.

"There all patched up," He stated.

A smile appeared on her face as she hopped off the table. She almost lost her balance from her shoes but quickly gained it back. He hid a grin at her embarrassment as her cheeks turned a lovely shade of rose. She quickly headed out of the infirmary with a quick 'good night'. He smiled slightly when he heard a door close.

It was getting to be far too entertaining for him now. He was enjoying the company of the two women who were happy to travel with him. They brought something to him that he had forgotten during his time of solitude. They brought out the human in him. He was thankful for that.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6. _The_ _Aliens of London that want to cause World War III_

* * *

The Doctor was moving around the main console pushing levers and making sure that everything was running smoothly. It was a wheeze that caught his attention and a frown pulled at his lips. He headed towards the room that Alice was staying in and gently knocked against the dark wood. There was no response and he opened the door after a few minutes had passed. The room was dark and he smiled at the modern décor that fit the woman he knew and was growing to love. He heard a sharp intake of breath that was followed by a stream of Gallifreyan that depicted what he knew to be a nightmare and he gently placed a hand against a black, silk, cladded shoulder.

"Wake up, love," He stated in a soft tone, he didn't need to make her panic in her dreams.

Blue eyes opened up in a bleary way and caught his own. A small smile appeared on Alice's face before she frowned slightly. She sat up in the bed and he took a seat on the edge of the mattress. The Tardis began to fill the room with a morning light and that brought more details into fruition as he looked around the room.

"What's going on?" Alice asked.

"You caused the Tardis to worry," He stated, "You talk in your sleep."

"That explains why my Aunt stays over for Christmas," Alice muttered as she ran a hand through her hair.

He smiled at that and got up from the bed. She watched as he walked out of the room and shut the door before letting out a small sigh of relief. Her eyes traveled to the ceiling and she felt slightly guilty. She hadn't meant to stress the Tardis out. A sudden smile appeared on her face.

"Sorry about that," She quietly told the Tardis.

A wheeze was her answer to that and she smiled at that. The sounds of rain filled the room and a large grin appeared on Alice's face. She had always loved an early morning rain. The smell of rain was one of her favorite things. She got out of her bed and opened her closet doors. Her eyes traveled across the different dress shirts, and the Technicolor dream coat that now hung proudly inside the closet, and she made a face. She could go with a t-shirt and jeans combo since they were stopping in Rose's time to grab the blonde some clothes. She had quickly changed and pulled on her sand-colored converse before walking out of her room and heading to the main console.

"Mornin'," She greeted a yawning Rose.

"Morning," Rose greeted back.

The Tardis gave a final shake, something that the passengers of the ship had gotten used to, and the noises stopped. They had made it to their destination. Rose looked towards the doors in slight trepidation. She had no clue how long she had been gone. She didn't know how her mother was going to react to her lengthy disappearance, without a phone call or any form of communication. She made a face; her mum was going to hit her for this.

"How long have I been gone?" Rose asked, she walked towards the doors and opened them to look outside.

"About twelve hours," The Doctor informed her as everyone piled out of the Tardis.

"That's not too bad," Alice stated with raised eyebrows.

"Oh. Right, I won't be long," Rose told them as she pointed a thumb towards the flats behind her, "I just want to see my mum."

"What're you going to tell her?" The Doctor asked her.

"I don't know. I've been to the year 5 billion and only been gone, what, twelve hours?" Rose asked, she then smiled at them and chuckled quietly, "No, I'll just tell her I spent the night at Shareen's. See you later. Oh, don't you two disappear on me."

"Okay, good luck," Alice called with a small grin.

The Doctor looked around with a small smile. He was proud of himself for getting the right date. A paper that was stuck to a telephone pole began to flap in the sudden breeze. It caught Alice's attention and she walked over to it. She paled upon reading it. The Doctor felt a slight surprise and dread start to build up in her and looked over in confusion and worry.

"Doctor, you were off," Alice told him, "By twelve months."

That was more than enough for him to sprint up the stairs of the apartments. Alice joined him and they entered the Tyler flat in time to see Jackie pull Rose into a bear hug. They both gained a sheepish expression when the confused, younger blonde turned to look at them. Alice gave her an apologetic look.

"It's not twelve hours, it's twelve months," The Doctor told her, "You've been gone a whole year. Sorry."

Jackie looked at him in anger as he let out a sheepish chuckle. That caused the two to look down at their feet in a sheepish way. Rose sighed as her mother quickly called the police. She motioned for the two to sit on the settee and they did. She was slightly amused by how awkward they looked inside her flat. The man who was the last of his kind and not really a domestic person, and a murder investigator who seemed to love tight clothing, she was happy that she had gained such interesting friends. Jackie shot the group a glare and the Doctor jumped when a handmade itself known on his arm. Alice had grabbed him with a nervous expression on her face. She was used to people getting violent when they glared like that.

The police officer arrived within the hour and was welcomed into a flat with a very tense air. He looked around in a nervous way and noted the two sitting on the settee and the blonde that had been missing for a year. He took a seat in a spare chair and watched as the elder blonde, who was dressed in a very bright shade of pink, began to pace. He brought out a clipboard with a piece of paper and readied his pen to begin writing down the statement.

"I was traveling," Rose quietly stated, she got it done quickly such as one would quickly tear off a Band-Aid, and she knew it was better to get it over with.

"The hours I've sat here, days and weeks and months, all on my own. I thought you were dead, and where were you?" Jackie asked she then glared at Rose, "Travelling. What the hell does that mean, traveling? That's no sort of answer."

"That's what I was doing," Rose stated.

"When your passport's still in the drawer?" Jackie countered, "It's just one lie after another."

"I meant to phone," Rose stated, the Doctor gained a thoughtful expression at that, "I really did. I just I forgot."

"What, for a year? You forgot for a year?" Her mum asked, "And I am left sitting here. I just don't believe you. Why won't you tell me where you've been?"

"It's actually our fault," Alice quickly spoke up before the Doctor could, "We invited her to join us on our travels as a spur of the moment type of deal, we were traveling all over the United Kingdom before we realized she didn't have her passport."

"Why didn't you let her call me?" Jackie asked in a harsh tone.

"The time passed by so quickly and we were having fun," Alice muttered, "It never crossed our minds. If she wants to continue traveling with us, we'll make sure she calls you every week so that you know she's fine."

Jackie seemed to accept that and nodded at the younger woman who seemed to relax a little. The Doctor had never been happier to have someone who could make up a story like that on the spot. Rose let out a very quiet sigh that went unnoticed by everyone in the room. She was safe for now and she rather liked the idea of calling her mum every once and a while to let her know she was okay. She just didn't know how to do so. The Doctor shifted and Jackie looked to him and she gained a glare.

"What about you then?" Jackie asked turning to him, "Because you, you waltz in here all charm and smiles, and the next thing I know, she vanishes off the face of the Earth! How old are you then? Forty? Forty-five? You have two young women traveling with you, what'd you do? Go online and pretend to be a Doctor to find them?"

"I am a Doctor," The Doctor stated.

"Prove it," Jackie growled, "Stitch this, mate!"

Jackie slapped the Doctor and everyone who watched winced slightly as he rubbed at his reddening cheek. Alice gave him a look of understanding as the police officer looked concerned for him. The officer felt as though the two were telling the truth, they were traveling and had stopped so the blonde could get what she needed. There was something about those two that gave him a feeling of agelessness and security. Now that he really thought about it, it was the eyes. Two shades of blues, one far lighter than the other, looked old and rundown. He took his leave and the two-time travelers left the Tyler's to reconcile with each other. They headed up to the roof and the Doctor watched in confusion as Alice looked at his cheek with a slight wince. She placed a hand against the warm skin and he gently leaned into her touch.

"I bet you've never been hit by an angry mum before now," Alice muttered.

He brought a hand up to her's and covered it in a gentle manner. Her eyes widened slightly before they softened into a sky blue. He could get a read on her emotions so clearly and he was beginning to think he might not have to wait long to begin his courting. He wondered if she lived life as fast as he did with the profession she had chosen.

"Back on Platform One, the Face of Boe informed me of a bond," Alice quietly admitted, "What did he mean by that, Doctor?"

The Doctor thought about it for a few moments as he pulled her hand away from his face and clasped it in his own. Her eyes never left his own and that didn't help his dilemma. He finally came up with a good explanation, which was fantastic, all he really had to do was not mess up the explanation. That should be easy enough for him.

"What human's call soul mates, my people called them bonds or bonders," The Doctor quietly explained, "Two people who completed each other perfectly, my mother and father were such people."

He remained quiet as she digested that bit of information. She decided that it kind of made sense to her, after all, it was the same concept but with a different wording added to it. She couldn't help but be amused that her "soul mate" was a man that was nearing his mid-life. She tilted her head slightly and wondered just how old he really was.

"I see," Alice muttered, "Do you think the reason that I was plucked off my street might've known about this?"

He hadn't thought about that for a while if he was going to be truthful. He frowned in slight thought. It made sense as to why she was dropped off in his Tardis, that ship couldn't be entered unless one had a strong psychic field or a very good reason, and perhaps it was the reason why she had her pendant. He had yet to ask her how she obtained it.

"I don't know," He truthfully stated.

"I see," Alice closed her eyes before a smile tugged at her lips, "I guess that means you aren't getting rid of me any time soon."

He smiled at that and placed his free hand against her cheek.

"I wouldn't dream of it," He told her; he really couldn't imagine that now that he had found her.

He didn't want to go back to being alone, always feeling as though there was a piece missing. He thought back to the war and his guilt showed on his face as Alice gave him a concerned look. She gently patted his cheek to get his attention and he noticed the worried expression on her face.

"Are you okay?" Alice gently asked him, "You went into space there for a few minutes."

"I was just thinking," He stated with a slightly strained smile, "Don't worry about it."

She gave him a look that showed she didn't really believe him but gave him the benefit of the doubt. She decided to respect his wishes and not dig into to it. The door leading to the roof opened and Alice looked towards a thoughtful Rose. The blonde noticed the two and gave the brunette a thumb up with a grin. She then coughed and the two stepped away from each other.

"Everything all right with your mum?" Alice asked, her face a bright red as she ran a hand through her hair.

"I can't tell her. I can't even begin. She's never going to forgive me. And I missed a year. Was it good?" Rose questioned.

"Two thousand five was an 'eh' year for me when I was a kid," Alice admitted, "I can't really give you a good answer to that."

"It was middling," The Doctor added his opinion.

"You're so useless," Rose informed him.

"Well, if it's this much trouble, are you going to stay here now?" The Doctor asked.

"I don't know," Rose admitted as she sat down on an air-conditioning unit, "I can't do that to her again, though."

"Hand me your phone," The Doctor stated, Rose, frowned at him and dug the flip phone from her front pocket and handed it over to him, "She's not coming with us, but I can make it so that you can phone her."

"No chance for her to come along?" Rose asked as he switched the batteries to something that would work with the time vortex.

"I don't do families," He stated, he was beginning to rethink that though.

"She slapped you!" Rose pointed out.

Alice grinned at that and attempted to hide her amusement as he handed Rose back her phone. He gained the smallest pout and looked towards the brunette. He could feel her amusement and he wasn't amused. Not in the slightest.

"Nine hundred years of time and space, and I've never been slapped by someone's mother," He stated, it was very close to a whine.

"Your face was pretty good," Alice admitted.

"It hurt!" He defended.

"Don't be such a baby," Alice chuckled, "Are you really nine hundred years old?"

"Yeah," He affirmed.

"My mum was right. That is one hell of an age gap," Rose stated after thinking about it, "Every conversation with you just goes mental. There's no one else I can talk to. I've seen all that stuff up there, the size of it, and I can't say a word. It's all these aliens and spaceships and things. I am one of the two people on planet Earth who know they exist."

A deep horn sounded behind them and they ducked as a spaceship that was trailing black smoke passed over their heads. It missed the Tower Bridge and weaved around St. Paul's before letting out a nasty splutter and slamming into the Clock Tower and slamming into the Thames. The group of three looked towards the smoke cloud coming from the crash site and Alice let out a quiet sigh at that. Rose had just tempted fate and created an actual alien crash landing.

"Oh, that's just not fair," Rose stated.

"You did tempt fate, and she is a cruel mistress," Alice whistled, she then grinned as Rose hit her shoulder with a frown.

They headed down the complex stairs and headed to the streets. They needed to get to the bottom of what was going on. Alice looked towards the smoke trail and tilted her head slightly, it almost seemed staged. She was slightly amused by that and shook her head slightly. Alien's hoaxing Alien's? She guessed that everyone had a sense of humor.

"Get back. Get back," A soldier warned them as they headed onto the main road.

"It's blocked off," The Doctor stated in disbelief.

"We're miles from the center. The city must be gridlocked. The whole of London must be closing down," Rose stated as she looked down at the moving soldiers.

"I know. I can't believe I'm here to see this. This is fantastic!" The Doctor stated.

"I'm guessing that this wasn't supposed to happen," Alice stated before turning to him, "You recognize the ship, or have any idea why it crashed?"

"Nope," The Doctor grinned at her.

"A good thing we have you," Alice sarcastically stated.

"I bet it is," The Doctor grinned, "This is what I travel for, to see history happening right in front of us."

"Well, let's go and see it," Rose suggested, "Never mind the traffic, we've got the Tardis."

"Better not. They've already got one spaceship in the middle of London," He stated, "I don't want to shove another one on top."

"Yeah, but yours looks like a big blue box. No one's going to notice," Rose pointed out.

"With an emergency such as this one? Everyone would notice the Tardis appearing out of nowhere," Alice thought out loud, "I guess we're stuck here."

"We could always do what everybody else does," Rose stated, "We could watch it on TV."

Alice grinned at that as the Doctor gained a slightly disappointed expression on his face. They headed back to the Tyler's flat and Rose was surprised when her mum automatically grabbed the phone to call everyone they knew for a party. The three headed to the chairs and they took a seat and turned on the television. They flicked through the channels and finally found a channel that was showing the news. The Doctor continuously changed it and they heard different stations talk about the crash.

"I've got no choice," Jackie stated as she gave the two young women mugs of tea.

"Thank you," Alice quietly thanked as the older blonde shot a glare at the Doctor.

"You've broken your mother's heart," Jackie's friend informed Rose.

"I'm not going to make him welcome," Jackie informed Alice and Rose.

"I cradled her like a child," The woman stated.

"Oi, I'm trying to listen," The Doctor informed the women.

Alice gave them an apologetic look and they huffed in unison before giving the brunette a look of sadness. They believed her to be the victim of an arranged marriage; she wasn't going to correct them. She knew the truth and that was enough for her. She took a sip of her tea in unison with Rose and began to wish for Gwyneth's tea. The maid could make a mean cup of tea. She looked down at the mug in grief and let out a heavy sigh. The Doctor noticed and placed a hand on her's. She gave him a sad smile and moved her hand so that they would be holding hands. The reporter informed them of a body that was found in the wreckage and their attention turned to it as more friends of Jackie's came in to welcome Rose back. Alice gave up her seat for an elderly woman and the Doctor smiled at her as she sat on the floor and leaned against his legs. She offered the mug of tea to him and he accepted with a small smile.

"Oh, guess who asked me out. Billy Crewe," Jackie's voice floated out to them as the reporter talked about the mortuary where the body was being taken.

The Doctor and Alice shared a look and she sighed in amusement at the glint in his eyes. She knew that he was waiting for the opportune time to leave and head to the hospital. She looked back to the television and felt slightly angry at how the government was handling the situation. They shouldn't have moved the patients inside the hospital. She was brought out of her thoughts as a toddler crawled into her lap and stared up at her with large eyes. He tilted his head and grinned at her. She smiled at him softly and poked the tip of his nose with her finger.

"Go on now, your mum is probably worried about you," She gently told him as she picked him up with ease and gave him a pat on the shoulder to shoo him in a gentle way.

The Doctor had watched that with a small smile and watched as she turned her attention to the window outside. It had turned into the afternoon before they knew it. She rested her head against his knee and looked back to the television. They stayed like that until the number of people in the room got to be too much for him. He tapped her shoulder and motioned for her to stand up when she looked at him. She did so and he got up and headed out of the flat. She made a face before following after.

"You're going to investigate aren't you?" Alice softly asked him.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," The Doctor admitted.

"Sounds about right," Alice grinned before heading down the stairs, "I'll meet you down there, you wouldn't be able to get past Rose."

He didn't have to ask what she meant by that when Rose opened the door to the flat. She frowned at him in slight amusement. She couldn't help but think he was trying to be sneaky. She inwardly smirked, he had failed at that. She had been enjoying watching him be domestic with Alice. You could've placed them on a Hallmark card and it wouldn't have looked out of place.

"And where do you think you're going?" Rose asked him.

"Nowhere, it's just a bit human in there for me," The Doctor admitted, "History just happened and they're talking about where you can buy dodgy top-up cards for half price. I'm off on a wander, that's all."

"Wandering? There's a spaceship on the Thames and you're just wandering," Rose stated in a skeptical tone.

"It has nothing to do with me. It's not an invasion," The Doctor stated, "That was a genuine crash landing. With the angle of descent, the color of the smoke, everything. It's perfect."

"So?" She asked.

"So maybe this is it. Earth's first contact. The day mankind officially comes into contact with an alien race," He responded, "I'm not interfering because you've got to handle this on your own. That's when the human race finally grows up. Just this morning you were all tiny and small and made of clay. Now you can expand."

The Flat next to the Tyler's began to play music and he had to wonder about the choice of David Bowie's Starman. It was too fitting for the events that were happening at the moment. His mind wandered to his bonded and he felt a type of idleness in her actions. She was most likely walking around the main console in thought.

"You don't need me. Go and celebrate history," He told her, "Spend some time with your mum."

"Promise you won't disappear?" Rose asked.

"Tell you what. Tardis key," He held up a small silver key and handed it to her, "It's about time you had one. See you later."

He headed down the stairs and began his trek to the Tardis. A woman cat called him and he smirked slightly before going through the doors. He was right about what Alice was doing, only she was talking to the Tardis. She got answers from the living ship and she smiled at each one she received.

"It seems too perfect for a crash landing," Alice stated as she turned to him, "Think it might be aliens falsifying aliens?"

"That is a possibility," The Doctor chuckles as he pulled a few levers and started to fly the Tardis to the location.

She hummed at that and the Tardis joined her in the sound. He gained a slightly insulted expression before getting a smile and a wink from her. It was a relatively short flight and she opened the door into what looked like a storage closet. She turned to look at him in confusion.

"Is this a supply closet?" She quietly asked, "Was that on purpose?"

"Shush," He gently shushed her, "This is a time for you to learn how to use your sonic device."

She gave him a look at that and shook her head. She wasn't going to inform him that he needed to fix that phrasing. She pulled the wand from her jean pockets and looked towards him, waiting for some form of instructions. He directed her towards the door and she shuffled closer to it.

"Sonic doesn't work on wood, but it does work on locks," He stated, "Press it against the lock and it'll begin to work through the codes or pins and unlock it."

She made a face at that and waited as the sonic quietly buzzed in the small room. It was taking a while and the Doctor knew it had to be from the sonic being newer than his own. He noticed that she held it in a light grip and he placed a hand on hers and gently squeezed it so that her grip was tightened. There was a quiet click as the lock unlocked.

"Nicely done," The Doctor complimented, Alice blushed a little bit at that and smiled as she put away the sonic device.

"After you," Alice grinned at him.

He smiled back and opened the door. The two were greeted by the sight of soldiers in uniform. The two sides stared at each other for a few seconds before the soldiers gained their wits and grabbed their guns. The Doctor and Alice raised their hands in surrender and the Doctor smiled at them in a slightly sarcastic way. They were stuck like that for a few minutes before a scream echoed from further in the building.

"Defense plan delta!" The Doctor ordered the Soldiers, "Come on. Move! Move!"

The group headed out of the room, the sounds of the soldiers far noisier than the steps of the two-time travelers, and headed towards the source of the scream. The captain of the soldiers gave them a hand signal and the soldiers spread out through the different hallways and rooms. The two entered into a surgery room and there was a woman cowering by a desk with a cut on her head.

"It's alive!" The woman stated.

"Tell the perimeter it's a lockdown," The Doctor ordered the soldier that had stayed with them.

"My god. It's still alive," The woman muttered.

"C'mon, what did it look like?" Alice gently asked.

A metallic torch fell to the ground and all eyes turned towards it as it rolled towards them before stopping. The Doctor and Alice shared a look and she gave him a small nod of understanding as she moved closer to the fallen woman.

"It's still here," The Doctor quietly stated.

He quietly moved forward and he crouched down to peer behind the filing cabinet. He was met with the sight of a pig-headed creature and he tilted his head slightly before smiling. It was a confusing sight to him, him never running into a species that looked like this, and he was ecstatic to have been around to see history being made.

"Hello," He greeted the species with a quiet tone.

It let out a loud squeal and sprinted away from the room. The Doctor got up and started to head after it. The soldier that had been in the room with them readied his gun to fire and the injured woman moved closer to Alice in fear of the creature.

"Don't shoot!" The Doctor ordered, the Soldier followed them and lowered his weapons.

"Here, let's get you bandaged up," Alice softly told the woman.

The woman gave a stiff nod and welcomed the help to her feet before Alice searched out all the different bandages and antiseptic sprays. It didn't take long for the brunette to clean the cut on the woman's forehead and bandage it. They both jumped in surprise at the sound of a gun going off and the soldier tensed up in preparation to protect the two women. The Doctor came back with a sour expression on his face and the creature behind him on a stretcher.

"It was afraid," The Doctor mumbled as he headed over to Alice as the creature was placed back on the table, "And they just shot it."

"If there is a deemed threat then one is made to shoot it first before innocents can be harmed," Alice responded with a sad expression on her face, "That's what I was told when I joined the investigator division. I never really agreed with it."

The Doctor gave her a smile at that as they turned towards the autopsy table and looked at the creature. The Doctor took out his sonic screwdriver and held it over the pig in concentration and after a while, it let out a final beep. He read the diagnostics about the creature and a slight frown appeared on his face.

"This is just an ordinary pig from this planet," The Doctor stated.

"I just assumed that's what aliens look like, but you're saying it's an ordinary pig from Earth," The woman reiterated.

"More like a mermaid. Victorian showmen used to draw the crowds by taking the skull of a cat, gluing it to a fish and calling it a mermaid," The Doctor informed her, "Now someone's taken a pig, opened up its brain, stuck bits on, then they've strapped it in that ship and made it dive bomb. It must've been terrified. They've taken this animal and turned it into a joke."

"So it's a fake, a pretend, like the mermaid. But the technology augmenting its brain, it's like nothing on Earth. It's alien. Aliens are faking aliens," At the woman's words Alice and Doctor shared a look and headed out towards the Tardis.

"Would this mean that whatever we are dealing with has been on Earth for a while?" Alice questioned.

"It's one of the many possibilities, The Doctor stated as they entered the storage closet, "But what could they possibly be after is what I want to know."

"It's not a war otherwise they would've already done it," Alice muttered as the Doctor opened the Tardis door and let her enter first, "You think this group might be letting out a signal of sorts?"

The Doctor thought about it for a few seconds before grinning. He was glad she had thought of that, it was something that had crossed his mind but he hadn't focused on. He started the Tardis and let the ship fly back towards the Powell Estate. He let out a small laugh and headed towards the brunette who was staring at her holo-pad in thought.

"You are absolutely fantastic!" He told her as he gave her a peck on the cheek before parking the Tardis.

Alice flushed a dark red and placed a hand against her cheek before turning back to her Holo-pad and checked for a signal that could key her into what was going on. The Tardis wheezed and attempted to help by connecting to the radio signals that were going to and from the planet. She smiled at the main console and blinked when she heard the door open.

"Hello," She greeted Rose and she winced slightly at the sight of a surprised Jackie Tyler.

"All right, so I lied," The Doctor informed Rose, "We went and had a look. But the whole crash landing's a fake. I thought so; Alice even figured out that they were faking the alien. C'mon it's just too perfect. I mean, hitting Big Ben."

"My mum's here," Rose softly told him.

Alice made a face as Jackie Tyler looked over her shoulder and gave a shocked sigh. She knew that this was going to go spare really quickly. She did greet Mickey though and the man greeted her back with ease. He wasn't upset with her, no his anger was directed at the man that was currently pulling a lever.

"Oh, that's just what I need. Don't you dare make this place domestic," The Doctor stated.

"You ruined my life, Doctor. They thought she was dead," Mickey informed him, "I was a murder suspect because of you."

"You see what I mean? Domestic," The Doctor told Rose.

"Don't be rude," Alice quietly scolded as she pressed a finger on her holo-pad and went through the signals she had connected to.

"I bet you don't even remember my name," Mickey counted the Doctor.

"Ricky," The Doctor attempted.

"It's Mickey," Alice informed him and the man in question nodded in agreement.

The Doctor let out a slightly uneasy cough as she fixed him with a slight glare. She wasn't amused and was actually upset with him. He needed to find a way to fix what he had done; he knew that he could be a bit nicer to Mickey, but he was a little unwilling to do so. He went to say something when Jackie let out a quiet sob and headed out of the Tardis.

"Mum, don't!" Rose called to the older woman, "Don't go anywhere. Don't start a fight!"

She headed after her mother and Mickey shared a look with Alice. She sighed quietly and knew that there wasn't anything she could really do at this moment. She looked towards her holo-pad and found a signal that had been playing constantly since the spaceship had crashed.

"I found the signal," Alice announced, "It's on repeat at the moment."

The Doctor rushed forward and hovered over her shoulder and pressed the signal and it filled the now quiet Tardis. The Doctor frowned and listened to it for a few seconds; he couldn't make out what it was saying. Alice tensed slightly and tilted her head. She was getting some of the words and she tapped her fingers against the holo-pad.

"There's something about the radioactive material being sold," Alice muttered, "That's all that I can really make out."

"Oh," The Doctor quietly stated as it fell into place for him.

He moved and turned on a screen to find something that would tell him what was going on, on the outside. Mickey looked at the two in confusion as Rose came back with a slightly upset expression on her face. She walked up to Alice and was given a very quick run by as to what was going on. She was thankful for the brunette and headed up towards the Doctor. Mickey quickly followed behind and Alice joined after turning off her device.

"How many channels do you get?" Mickey questioned as he looked at the news playing on the screen.

"All the basic packages," The Doctor stated.

"You get sports channels?" Mickey asked in genuine curiosity.

"Yes, I get the football," The Doctor quipped, "Hold on, I know that lot."

The woman on the screen announced that the government had decided to bring alien specialists to help with the problem of the crashed ship. The Doctor smiled happily and felt Alice give him some forgiveness at his treatment of Mickey since he was attempting to be nicer.

"U.N.I.T. United Nations Intelligence Taskforce," The Doctor informed them, "Good people."

"How do you know them?" Rose and Alice asked in unison.

"'Cos he's worked for them. Oh yeah, don't think I sat on my backside for twelve months, Doctor," Mickey stated in slight anger, "I read up on you. You look deep enough on the Internet or in the history books, and there's his name, followed by a list of the dead."

The Doctor felt the understanding at that and looked towards a thoughtful Alice. She grabbed his hand and he welcomed the comfort that it brought. Rose would've smiled at them, but she was focused on the information that Mickey had given her. She was very worried about what that meant for her and Alice.

"If you know them, why don't you go and help?" Rose asked.

"They wouldn't recognize me. I've changed a lot since the old days," The Doctor stated, he felt Alice's confusion and he made a mental note to inform her of his ability to cheat death, "Besides, the world's on a knife-edge. There are aliens out there and fake aliens. We want to keep this alien out of the mix. I'm going undercover. And, er, I'd better keep the Tardis out of sight. Ricky, you've got a car. You can do some driving."

"It's Mickey, Doctor," Alice quietly scolded him again.

"Where to?" Mickey asked, glad that someone was on his side.

"The roads are clearing. Let's go and have a look at that spaceship," Was the reply.

They all exited the Tardis and were welcomed to the blinding light of a helicopter spotlight. Alice hissed quietly and used the Doctor's shoulder to block the light. The police called them to hold their hands above their hands and Alice did so. She knew better than to ignore the orders of a cop, she made a face at how quickly she had complied with the orders. It hadn't been that long since she had to follow orders. Mickey took his chance and sprinted off to get out of the area; he was chased by a few officers as Jackie came out of the flats.

"Rose!" Jackie called to her daughter as the soldiers in the area contained her and kept her away from the group of three.

"Take me to your leader," The Doctor quipped to the officers before they were all escorted into a rather nice town car.

"This is nice," Alice stated, "Not as nice as the cars we usually use for suspects under arrest."

"It is a bit posh," Rose agreed with a slight grin.

"We're not being arrested, we're being escorted," The Doctor told them.

"Where to?" Rose asked.

"Where'd you think?" The Doctor grinned.

"Oh man, we're going to Downing Street," Alice chuckled, "Bless me bagpipes, that's a bold move by the government."

"Oh, my God. I'm going to 10 Downing Street?" Rose asked with a laugh, "How come?"

"I hate to say it, but Mickey was right," He replied, "Over the years I've visited this planet a lot of times, and I've been, er, noticed."

"You aren't very subtle, love," Alice teased and he gave the smallest of pouts at that.

"Now they need you?" Rose asked him.

"Like it said on the news. They're gathering experts in alien knowledge," The Doctor stated, he then grinned, "And who's the biggest expert of the lot?"

"Patrick Moore?" Alice and Rose asked in unison.

The Doctor gave Alice a look at that and he wondered how she even knew that. She grinned at him and he caught sight of her phone before it was pushed further into her pant pockets. He caught her eye again and she winked at him before turning her attention outside the window. She was slightly worried about what they were going to meet at Downing Street.

"Apart from him," The Doctor stated.

"Oh, don't you just love it," Rose teased.

"I'm telling you. Lloyd George, he used to drink me under the table," The Doctor before gaining a questioning expression, "Who's the Prime Minister now?"

"How should we know, we missed a year," Rose pointed out.

"Different universe altogether, it might be Margaret Thatcher," Alice grumbled in slight thought.

The car stopped and the door was opened for them. Rose climbed out first and the Doctor followed after. He stopped and turned to help Alice out of the car. She was genuinely surprised when she had accepted his hand. There were flashes of bright lights as the reporters went insane by the appearance of three new people. The Doctor chuckled and waved at the cameras.

"Doctor," Alice stated in amusement as he turned and grinned at her.

A guard walked up to the three and led them inside the building. As they stepped into the building they were made aware of the sounds of conversation. It was far warmer inside than it had been outside and Alice welcomed the warmer air on her arms. They walked into the room where a bunch of people was standing around creating the source of conversation.

"Ladies and gentlemen, can we convene? Quick as we can, please. It's this way on the right, and can I remind you ID cards are to be worn at all times," A man with dark hair stated as he walked into the room and headed towards the Doctor, "Here's your ID card. I'm sorry; your companions don't have clearance."

"Doctor, go along without us," Alice told him in a quiet tone, "We'll be more use being able to move around without restrictions."

"Fine, you two stay safe," The Doctor stated, he felt the urge to kiss her but stomped it down since it would've been a bad time to do so.

"Excuse me. Are you the Doctor?" A woman asked walking up to them.

"I am," The Doctor confirmed.

"Not now. We're busy. Can't you go home?" The dark haired man stated in a slightly annoyed tone that was bordering on exhaustion.

"I just need a word in private," The woman pleaded.

"My wife here can help you out with everything you might need," The Doctor stated, he placed a hand on Alice's shoulder and the brunette eyed him skeptically.

"I'm going to have to leave you with security," The man stated.

"It's all right. I'll look after them, I shall also take up that offer of help from…Mrs. Doctor," The woman stated linking arms with the two women, "Let me be of some use."

The Doctor watched as the three women left the room before he turned with the assistant and headed into the briefing room. The woman swallowed slightly and noticed the way the brunette was highly tensed. She felt as though she had run into an old colleague of hers that had joined Scotland Yard back in their youth.

"Harriet Jones, MP Flydale North," The woman introduced after showing her Identification card she moved them into a room that was empty," Your husband, he's an expert on all things aliens, correct?"

"He is, what is it I can do to help you," Alice asked as she pulled out a small notebook from her back pocket and grabbed a pen from a nearby table.

Harriet started to cry and gently held onto the woman before gaining her composure back. She stood up straight and fixed her blazer before fixing the woman before her with a determined look. She looked around in a quick manner before informing the two about what she had found. Needless to say, both women looked a bit appalled at the idea of an alien using a meat suit, Alice was vaguely reminded of the Gelth and that was something she didn't need at the moment.

"They turned the body into a suit. A disguise for the thing inside!" Harriet told them.

"It's all right. I believe you. Its, its alien. They must have some serious technology behind this. If we could find it, we could use it," Rose stated.

"It could be hidden anywhere in this building, our only chance would be that they slip up," Alice pointed out, "Or we can do some good old sleuthing."

"If I didn't know any better I'd say that you're enjoying this," Rose stated and she got a strained smile in response.

The three went through the room and searched through the cupboards. Rose let out a small scream after opening a cupboard and a body fell out like a piece of clothing. Alice paled slightly when Rose began to panic slightly.

"Is that who I think it is?" Alice quietly questioned as she made a face.

"Harriet, for God's sake. This has gone beyond a joke. You cannot just wander," The assistant from earlier stated as he walked into the room, he paused for a few seconds before noticing the body, "Oh, my God. That's the Prime Minister!"

"I hate it when I'm right," Alice muttered.

A plump woman with short blonde hair walked in and tsked at the group. Alice gently grabbed Rose's arm and brought her closer. There was something oddly menacing about the woman. Something dark about her, something not right she could akin it to the feeling she got about the Gelth.

"Oh! Has someone been naughty?" The Woman asked.

"That's impossible. He left this afternoon. The Prime Minister left Downing Street. He was driven away!" The assistant stated.

"And who told you that, hmm? Me," The woman stated as she reached up to her hairline and pulled at it like there was a zipper.

A bright light filled the room and a buzzing sound accompanied it. A large alien, green in color and with large taloned hands, stood before them and tilted her head at them. It filled the room with the smell of bad breath. Alice let out a gag at the smell and she eyed the alien in dislike. The alien went towards the assistant and he was surprised when the brunette had quickly grabbed hold of his blazer and pulled him out of the way.

"Run," Alice told the others.

It didn't take long for the other three to follow her orders. The group began to run through the corridors of the building and Harriet began to frown. She was forgetting something, something that was pretty important. It was on the tip of her tongue when it finally hit her.

"The emergency protocols are still in the room. We need them," Harriet told them.

"Oh great," The assistant stated.

"Alice Smith, I think we are going to be good friends," Alice introduced herself to the assistant.

"Indra Ganesh," The assistant replied.

They took a sharp turn in a way of ditching the alien. It skidded to a stop before hurrying after them. There was the sound of a lift dinging in the distance and the group headed towards it. They went towards it and they were welcomed to the sight of a smiling Doctor that met their eyes. He distracted them in a happy way and Alice felt proud of him as they headed back into a briefing room.

"Get what you need and hurry to safety," The Doctor's voice sounded in Alice's ear.

"I got them," Indra stated before they heard the tell-tale steps of the alien.

"Hide," Rose hissed.

Rose headed to the cabinet and hid there while Harriet went behind the screen. Indra was dragged to a desk where Alice began to search for some form of weapon. As much as she didn't want to hurt another person she had no choice but to fight these. She must've been projecting her conflicting emotions since she got understanding through the bond.

"Oh, such fun. Little human children, where are you? Sweet little humeykins, come to me. Let me kiss you better. Kiss you with my big, green lips," The Alien stated.

Indra and Alice gave identical looks of pure disgust while Rose let out a very quiet gag before she ran from the cabinet to the curtains. Two more of the aliens appeared alongside the first. Alice wanted to hit her head against the desk at how rotten their luck was today. Honestly, it had never been this bad in her universe.

"My brothers," the first one greeted the new ones.

"Happy hunting?" She was asked by one brother.

"It's wonderful. The more you prolong it, the more they stink," She responded.

"Sweat and fear," The second brother agreed.

"I can smell an old girl. Stale bird and brittle bones," The first brother stated.

"And a pair of ripe youngsters, all hormones and adrenaline. Fresh enough to bend before they snap," The female alien stated before sniffing deeply, "There's another scent, one of stardust mixed with the scent of a young woman, it smells practically divine."

"Shit!" Alice cursed as the desk that was hiding her and Indra was lifted up, "Move, move, move."

The two scrambled to their feet and ran to the other side of the room to put some distance between them and the aliens. Alice readied her fun and steeled her nerves in anticipation for the shot she might have to make. The aliens paused before laughing at her, granted she wasn't giving them the satisfaction of seeing her confused. Sweat began to go down her face as she turned the safety on the gun off with a very audible click. She was ready to shoot when the door slammed open and the Doctor appeared wielding a fire extinguisher. He sprayed the first brother with the CO2 before turning to the others.

"Out, with me!" The Doctor ordered.

All four nodded and followed after his long gait down the hallways. He gave a brief glance towards his bonded and noticed the slightly relieved slope of her shoulders. He then noticed the two new faces that had joined from earlier.

"Who the hell are you two?" He asked them.

"Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North," Harriet introduced with her badge.

"Indra Ganesh," Indra introduces again.

"Nice to meet you," The Doctor told the two.

"Likewise," The answered in varying tones of exhaustion.

"We need to head to the Cabinet Room," The Doctor informed them.

"The Emergency Protocols are in there. They give instructions for aliens," Harriet stated.

"Harriet Jones, I like you," The Doctor stated.

"And I like you too," Harriet smiled in amusement as they all ran into the Cabinet room.

Indra, Rose, and Alice were all breathing heavily and sweating profusely. They were attempting to catch their breath when Alice caught sight of more aliens coming towards them. The Doctor grabbed a decanter from a nearby side table and held his sonic against its bottom. He fixed them with a serious look.

"One more move and my sonic device will triplicate the flammability of this alcohol. Whoof, we all go up. So back off," The Doctor informed them, it worked and the aliens backed up a few steps, "Right then. Question time. Who exactly are the Slitheen?"

"They're aliens," Harriet informed him.

"Yes. I got that, thanks," The Doctor sarcastically smiled at her.

"Who are you, if not human?" A male Slitheen asked.

"Who's not human?" Harriet quietly asked the two young women.

"He's not," Rose motioned at the Doctor with a tilt of her head.

"My husband is not human," Alice admitted and Rose grinned at the title that she had used.

"He's not human?" Harriet reiterated and Alice nodded in confirmation.

Harriet was then looking at the Doctor in a new light. He looked perfectly human to her. The Doctor turned and fixed them all an annoyed look. Alice made a face and attempted to hide her chuckle at how touchy he was.

"Can I have a bit of hush?" He asked them, he got a few nods at that, "so, what's the plan?"

"But he's got a Northern accent," Indra pointed out.

"All planets have a north," Rose answered in an amused tone as Harriet grabbed a red box from the table and clutched it to her chest.

"I said hush. Come on. You've got a spaceship hidden in the North Sea. It's transmitting a signal. You've murdered your way to the top of government. What for, invasion?" The Doctor hissed, "Free radioactive material?"

"It's a family business," Alice stated after a few seconds, "Your name is a family name."

"You're smart, for a human," The female Slitheen stated.

"Ah, excuse me? Your device will do what? Triplicate the flammability?" The male Slitheen cut in before Alice could respond.

"Is that what I said?" The Doctor asked.

"You're making it up," A different male Slitheen accused him.

"Ah, well! Nice try. Harriet, have a drink. I think you're gonna need it," The Doctor stated as he passed the alcohol towards the right.

"You pass it to the left first," Harriet informed him.

"Sorry," He apologized before correcting himself and handing it over to Rose who quietly thanked him.

"Now we can end this hunt with a slaughter," A Slitheen stayed with a low growl.

"Shouldn't we be running?" Indra asked he was slowly moving so that he'd be in front of the women.

His mother always told him to protect women if there was any form of danger. Always said it was something a gentleman did. He didn't really get it since he knew that the brunette was highly capable of protecting herself. That was someone he wouldn't have wanted to get into a fight with.

"Fascinating history, Downing Street. Two thousand years ago, this was marshland. 1730, it was occupied by a Mister Chicken. He was a nice man," The Doctor stated with a wink aimed at Alice, "1796, this was the Cabinet Room. If the Cabinet's in session and in danger, these are about the four safest walls in the whole of Great Britain. End of lesson."

He lifted a small panel by the door and pressed the button. Metal shutters crashed with a loud bang and closed off all access to the windows and doors. Alice let out a quiet sigh and sat down in one of the chairs. She was glad this room was like her office in some way.

"Installed in 1991. Three inches of steel lining every single wall. They'll never get in," The Doctor informed the group.

"How do we get out?" Rose asked as she plopped in the chair on Alice's left.

"Ah," The Doctor made a noise that showed he hadn't thought of that.

"Can we call for help?" Alice questioned as she pulled out her phone.

Rose did so as well and they both noticed that they had bars on their phones. Indra checked his and clicked his tongue at the fact that he had no bars. Harriet found that she was in a similar position. Alice had tapped Rose and quietly asked for her number. The blonde happily gave it and soon they found out that Alice could indeed text people in the universe she found herself in.

"We've got bars," Alice informed the Doctor.

"How do they fit inside of people, they're about eight feet tall," Indra pointed out in confusion.

"That's the device around their necks. Compression field. Literally shrinks them down a bit. That's why there's all that gas. It's a big exchange," The Doctor stated.

"Wish I had a compression field. I could fit a size smaller," Rose muttered.

"Not the time for jokes," Alice quietly told her before turning to the others, "We need a person on the outside that's good with computers. If we can get into the system then we can turn their plans against them."

"You seem far too used to this," Harriet pointed out.

"You get used to this stuff when you're friends with him," Rose answered for the brunette who had made a face at that.

"Well, that's a strange friendship," Harriet muttered.

"Harriet Jones. I've heard that name before," The Doctor spoke up, removing the attention away from Alice, "Harriet Jones. You're not famous for anything, are you?"

"Oh, hardly," Harriet stated.

"Rings a bell. Harriet Jones?" The Doctor asked.

"Lifelong backbencher I'm afraid, and a fat lot of use I'm being now. The Protocols are redundant. They list the people who could help and they're all dead downstairs," Harriet stated as she looked through the case.

"Hasn't it got, like, defense codes and things? Couldn't we just launch a nuclear bomb at them?" Rose asked.

"That's what they want, radioactive material," Alice stated as it suddenly hit her, "they want to start launching nukes and push the planet into a nuclear wasteland, oh that is brilliant from a business sense."

"Brilliant," The Doctor stated.

"How could you put that all together?" Indra asked in surprise.

"I used to do way harder cases a while back," Alice stated as her cheeks turned a slight pink, "it's actually harder to figure out false paintings then it is to figure out plans for world domination."

"Hold on, Mickey sent me a very familiar picture," Rose stated as she turned the phone to show everyone the screen.

"Atta boy Mickey," Alice grinned, "Give him a call and put him on speaker."

"It's an alien," Rose immediately stated to Mickey, "Calm down."

"No, no, no, no, no. Not just alien, but like, proper alien. All stinking, and wet, and disgusting. And more to the point, it wanted to kill us!" Mickey stated, his voice crackling from the speaker.

"I could've died!" Jackie's voice sounded.

"Is she all right, though? Don't put her on, just tell me," Rose stated.

"Mickey it's an emergency go to your computer and start it up," Alice took control of the situation.

"Why?" Mickey asked as movement on the other side told that he had done as she asked.

"We're trying to stop world war three," Alice stated in a gloomy tone, "beside your our man outside, we need the help."

There was the sound of keys tapping in the background before Mickey spoke again.

"It says the password," Mickey stated.

"Buffalo. Two Fs, one L," The Doctor stated.

"They've kept us in the dark for so long," Mickey stated as he was looking at the Unit website.

"Mickey, you were born in the dark," The Doctor stated before holding his hands up in defense at the expression on Alice's face.

"Picking at each other is not needed right now," Alice told him, "there is far too much at stake."

"Password again," Mickey stated.

"Just repeat it every time it asks," The Doctor stated, "They put the entire world on red alert, it was a clever plan."

"I've got a question if you don't mind," Jackie started, "Since that man walked into our lives, I have been attacked in the streets. I have had creatures from the pits of hell in my own living room, and my daughter disappears off the face of the Earth."

"I told you what happened," Rose stated.

"I'm talking to him. 'Cos I've seen this life of yours, Doctor," Jackie stated, "And maybe you get off on it, and maybe you think it's all clever and smart, but you tell me. Just answer me this. Is my daughter safe?"

There was silence at that question and Indra watched as the brunette looked towards the man she referred to as Husband. She was giving him a sad look of understanding. Rose leaned towards Alice and looked towards the Doctor as well. She knew that it was a dangerous life. There was no guarantee of safety.

"Will she always be safe? Can you promise me that?" Jackie pressed, "Well, what's the answer?"

"We're in," Mickey stated.

"Now then, on the left at the top, there's a tab, an icon. Little concentric circles. Click on that," The Doctor swiftly took over for Alice, he even leaned against her chair as she looked towards the small flip phone.

"What is it?" Mickey asked.

"The Slitheen have got a spaceship in the North Sea and it's transmitting that signal. Now hush, we need to know exactly what it's saying," The Doctor stated.

Everyone was quiet for a few seconds until the sound of a doorbell sounded on the other end. The Doctor gained an annoyed expression before his eyes met with a tired Alice. She looked stressed and he wondered how bad this type of work was for her health.

"Hush!" The Doctor scolded.

"That's not me. Go and see who that is," Mickey stated, talking to Jackie on the last part.

She said something back but no one could say what it was. Mickey sounded annoyed in his answer. Alice rolled her eyes in slight amusement. The sounds of a door slamming stopped all amusement from the room. Indra felt a chill go down his spine at the sudden change of emotions.

"It's him! It's the thing, it's the Slipeen!" Jackie yelled.

"They've found us," Mickey stated.

"Mickey, we need that signal," The Doctor stated.

"Never mind the signal, get out!" Rose stated.

"Jackie, Mickey, you need to evacuate the building," Alice stated.

"We can't. It's by the front door," Mickey stated, they heard a familiar buzzing sound, "Oh, my God, it's unmasking. It's going to kill us."

"There's got to be some way of stopping them! You're supposed to be the expert, think of something!" Harriet exclaimed at the Doctor.

"I'm trying!" The Doctor stated.

"What planet are they even from? What clues lie to what species they are?!" Alice asked around the table.

"Right, If we're going to find their weakness, we need to find out where they're from. Which planet. So, judging by their basic shape, that narrows it down to five thousand planets within traveling distance. What else do we know about them? Information!" The Doctor readily agreed, everyone began to list ideas in a quick fashion.

"They're green," Rose pointed out.

"They have a good enough sense of smell to smell adrenaline," Alice added.

"Narrows it down," The Doctor stated.

"The pig technology," Harriet added.

"The spaceship in the Thames," Indra reminded them.

"Narrows it down," The Doctor admitted.

"What about the smell that they release when they do the gas exchange?" Alice asked, "Smells like bad breath, right?"

She got a few nods and she was glad that she hadn't imagined the bad smell. The Doctor grinned and that made everyone eye him wearily. He was a bit too jolly for what was going on. Indra swallowed slightly and began to think.

"Calcium decay! Now, that narrows it down!" The Doctor stated, "Calcium phosphate. Organic calcium. Living calcium. Creatures made out of living calcium. What else? What else? Hyphenated surname. Yes! That narrows it down to one planet. Raxacoricofallapatorius!"

"Oh, yeah, great. We could write 'em a letter," Mickey stated, Alice let out a slight snort at that.

"Get into the kitchen!" The Doctor ordered, "Calcium, weakened by the compression field. Acetic acid. Vinegar!"

"Just like Hannibal!" Harriet, Indra, and Alice stated in unison.

They all shared a look and slight smiled before returning their attention to the task at hand. College readings had been an interesting part of A levels. The Doctor grinned at the three.

"Just like Hannibal. Mickey, have you got any vinegar?" The Doctor asked.

"How should I know?" Mickey asked.

"It's your kitchen," The Doctor and Alice stated.

"Cupboard by the sink, middle shelf," Rose stated.

"Oh, give it here. What do you need?" Jackie asked the Doctor turned towards Alice.

She gave him a look. He raised an eyebrow. Jackie didn't like him, but she did approve of Alice for some reason. He was beginning to think it was the age, she was close in age to Rose. The brunette snapped to attention before speaking.

"Use anything with vinegar," Alice stated, "Anything pickled works as well."

"Gherkins. Yeah, pickled onions. Pickled eggs," Jackie began to state.

"And you kiss this man?" The Doctor asked Rose.

"Oh, hush," Alice stated with a slight smile, "He's a keeper, Rose."

Rose smiled at that and blushed slightly. She was proud of her boyfriend for protecting her mum. A thought then crossed her mind and she eyed the three who had spoken the name, Hannibal. She didn't know where that had come from.

"Hannibal?" Rose asked.

"Hannibal crossed the Alps by dissolving boulders with vinegar," Harriet stated.

"I had to read about it for my A levels, helps that I was going for a scientific maths degree," Alice smiled, "You two as well?"

"I just like reading," Harriet smiled.

"A level science," Indra nodded.

"Oh. Well, there you go then," Rose smiled as everyone took a sip from their alcohol that was in the decanter.

Alice tilted her head slightly and felt her eye twitch at the whiskey. She hadn't had whiskey that strong in years. She looked towards the Doctor and he raised his eyebrows up and down to mess with her. She smiled and shook her head in faint amusement before looking towards the flip phone on the table. Her fingers began to mindlessly fiddle with the pendant around her neck. He was aware of when she went into deep thought, he watched as her eyes glazed over and her emotions became static.

"Listen to this," Mickey told them.

"Our inspectors have searched the sky above our heads and they have found massive weapons of destruction capable of being deployed within forty-five seconds," A voice stated.

"Oh no," Alice muttered, "I sometimes hate being right."

"Our technicians can baffle the alien probes, but not for long. We are facing extinction, unless we strike first," The man stated before taking a short pause, "The United Kingdom stands directly beneath the belly of the mothership. I beg of the United Nations, pass an emergency resolution. Give us the access codes. A nuclear strike at the heart of the beast is our only chance of survival because from this moment on it is my solemn duty to inform you planet Earth is at war."

"They went for spectacle," Alice stated, "When we get scared we lash out, and we're playing right into their hands. Guess what they get next?"

"The defense codes," Rose stated as it hit her.

"And the Slitheen go nuclear," The Doctor stated.

"But why?" Harriet asked.

"They're selling nuclear waste as energy," Alice pointed out, "We fire at each other and the entire planet goes up into a fiery pit of hell."

"You are a rather pessimistic girl," Harriet informed her.

Alice gave a slightly dark chuckle at that and turned towards the door. The glare that replaced her wry expression caused Harriet and Indra to back up slightly. Rose looked at her nervously and gently placed a hand on the brunette's shoulder. The Doctor turned back to her and Rose gave him a worried look as Alice continued her glare at the door. He knew what she wanted to do to the Slitheen and he sighed quietly. He narrowed his eyes and opened the metal structure.

"You get the codes, release the missiles, but not into space because there's nothing there. You attack every other country on Earth. They retaliate, fight back. World War Three. The whole planet gets nuked," The Doctor quickly stated.

"Was that the young woman that smells of stardust? She's far brighter than she looks if she could figure that out," The Slitheen sneered, it looked odd from the woman she was wearing, "And we can sit through it safe in our spaceship waiting in the Thames. Not crashed, just parked. Only two minutes away."

"But you'll destroy the planet, this beautiful place. What for?" Harriet asked.

"Money, it always comes down to money," Alice growled, "That's what the signal is, an advert."

"The sale of the century. We reduce the Earth to molten slag, then sell it piece by piece. Radioactive chucks, capable of powering every cut-price starliner and budget cargo ship. There's a recession out there, Doctor," The Slitheen stated, "People are buying cheap. This rock becomes raw fuel."

"At the cost of five billion lives," The Doctor stated.

"Bargain," The Slitheen attempted to correct.

"I give you a choice. Leave this planet or I'll stop you," The Doctor stated, he was filled with a cold anger that was slowly growing.

"What, you? Trapped in your box?" She asked.

"Yes. Me," Ge confirmed as he hit the button again.

Alice moved forward and grabbed his hand. He jumped in surprise and turned to meet her eyes. She was giving him a look of understanding before it softened. She looked back towards the door.

"We can get through this," Alice gently stated, "There has to be a way. We have to think."

"Right," He mumbled as she gave his hand a final squeeze before letting it go.

Everyone let out a sigh and sat at the table. Rose has nodded off at one point and Indra looked ready to join her. Harriet watched as the brunette spun an orange orb in her fingers and caused the gold duct inside to swirl wildly. After a while, her fingers stopped and she pressed the home button on her phone. Her eyes closed slightly.

It was morning, but it wasn't as good as the one she had the previous day. She frowned and thought back to the nightmare she had been having before she woke up. Her frown increased. Her dream had been filled with metallic creatures, that reminded her of disco ball covered salt shakers, shooting lasers and taking people out. It had been a weird nightmare, and one she didn't want to have again. She looked towards the Doctor when Jackie made herself known on the other end of the phone, waking Rose up in the process.

"All right, Doctor. I'm not saying I trust you, but there must be something you can do," Jackie stated, she sounded exhausted.

"If we could ferment the port, we could make acetic acid," Harriet stated.

"Mickey, any luck?" Rose asked her boyfriend.

"There's loads of emergency numbers. They're all on voicemail," Mickey stated,

"Voicemail dooms us all," Harriet quipped, eliciting a snort from Indra.

"If we could just get out of here," Rose muttered.

"There's a way out," The Doctor informed the group.

"What?" Rose asked.

"There's always been a way out," He responded.

"Why didn't we use it before?" She asked.

"Because I can't guarantee your safety," He stated, his eyes flickered to Alice for a few seconds.

"Don't you dare. Whatever it is, don't you dare," Jackie ordered.

"That's the thing. If I don't dare, everyone dies," The Doctor informed her.

"Do it," Rose stated.

"You don't even know what it is. You'd just let me?" He asked.

"Yeah," Rose and Alice stated in unison.

"Please Doctor. Please. She's my daughter. She's just a kid," Jackie pleaded.

"Do you think I don't know that? Because this is my life, Jackie," The Doctor stated, there was a bitterness to his tone, "It's not fun, it's not smart, it's just standing up and making a decision because nobody else will."

"Then what're you waiting for?" Alice asked.

"I could save the world but lose you," he responded and he met her surprised eyes with a serious expression.

"Except it's not your decision, Doctor. It's mine," Harriet told him.

"And who the hell are you?" Jackie questioned.

"Harriet Jones, MP for Flydale North," Harriet immediately responded, "The only elected representative in this room, chosen by the people for the people. And on behalf of the people, I command you. Do it."

"How do we get out?" Rose asked.

"We don't. We stay here," The Doctor answered.

"Isn't that a bit counterproductive?" Alice asked as she shared a look with Indra.

"Use the buffalo password. It overrides everything," The Doctor informed Mickey as he grabbed something out of the red case.

"We're in. Here it is. HMS Taurean, Trafalgar Class submarine, ten miles off the coast of Plymouth," Mickey stated.

"Right, we need to select a missile," The Doctor stated.

"Use the Sub Harpoon, UGM-A4A," Alice spoke up, "it's powerful enough and will get the job done."

"Perfect," The Doctor agreed.

"Right," Mickey stated, doing as asked.

"I could stop you," Jackie stated.

"Do it, then," Mickey challenged.

"You ready for this?" The Doctor asked them.

"Yeah," Mickey confirmed.

"Mickey the idiot, the world is in your hands," The Doctor informed him, "Fire."

"How solid are these?" Harriet asked.

"Not solid enough. Built for short range attack, nothing this big," The Doctor stated, the three young adults shared a look before nodding in unison.

"All right, now we're making the decision. I'm not going to die. We're going to ride this one out. It's like what they say about earthquakes. You can survive them by standing under a doorframe," Rose stated as Alice joined her with a grin, Indra followed after, "Now, this cupboard's small so it's strong. Come and help me. Come on."

They all started to quickly clear out the cupboard. They needed enough room to sit without fear of something heavy falling on them. Rose quickly grabbed her phone and brought it with her as they all sat in the cupboard. The group was all huddled together against a corner and the Doctor grabbed his bonded's hand. If these were his last moments then he was going to enjoy them with her.

"Counter defense five five six," Mickey stated.

"Stop them intercepting it," The Doctor informed him.

"I'm doing it now," Mickey stated, "Five-five six neutralized."

"We need to have better dates," Alice quietly informed the Doctor.

"I can do that," The Doctor gave her a strained grin, he will admit to welcoming the physical contact she brought as she leaned her head onto his shoulder.

"Here we go. Nice knowing you all. Hannibal!" Harriet stated as the missile hit

Everyone let out a yell as the cupboard began to shake before rolling. The Doctor moved his hold on Alice from a hand to his arm around her waist. Indra had grabbed hold of Rose who had almost hit her head against the wall. Harriet grabbed onto the three and was able to be the most stable out of all of them. Eventually, the cupboard stopped moving and the group all got onto their shaking legs and headed towards the steel door. With a single push from the Doctor, the battered steel door fell to the ground.

"Made in Britain!" Harriet happily exclaimed.

"Oh, my God. Are you all right?" A man asked as he ran up to them.

Indra paused as he helped Rose out of the cupboard. He turned and looked at the man in slight annoyance, he was going to have to help with damage control. Again. How was it that he had gotten such a horrible assistant position?

"Harriet Jones. MP, Flydale North. I want you to contact UN immediately. Tell the ambassadors the crisis is over. They can step down. Go on, tell the news," Harriet ordered, the man scrambled away to do as she commanded, "Someone's got a hell of a job sorting this lot out. Oh, Lord. We haven't even got a Prime Minister."

"Maybe you should have a go," The Doctor stated as he watched Alice emerge from the cupboard.

"Me? Huh. I'm only a backbencher," Harriet smiled.

"I'd vote for you," Rose told her.

"I'd vote except I'm usually not in the area," Alice smiled at her.

"Now, don't be silly. Look, I'd better go and see if I can help. Hang on!" Harriet called to the soldiers, "We're safe! The Earth is safe!"

"I'll go and help her," Indra informed them, "Hopefully we meet under better circumstances next time, like chips?"

Rose blinked as she realized that had been directed at her. She smiled slightly and that and contemplated her answer. She was still with Mickey, if only by a technicality, but she couldn't help but be flattered by the invitation.

"I'll think on it," Rose told him.

"Right," Indra gained a slight pink tinge to his tan cheeks and quickly headed after Harriet.

"I thought I knew the name. Harriet Jones, future Prime Minister. Elected for three successive terms. The architect of Britain's Golden Age," The Doctor stated.

"The crisis has passed! Ladies and gentlemen, I have something to say to you all here today! Mankind stands tall, proud and undefeated. God bless the human race!" Harriet's voice floated over to them.

Alice laughed as they all headed back to the Powell Estate. The Doctor and Alice broke off from Rose as she went to talk to her mother. The Tardis happily greeted the two as they entered. Alice stretched slightly before looking towards the Doctor. He had made sure that billions had lived and that was brilliant in her books.

"That was fantastic, Doctor," She smiled at him.

He grinned at that and he was surprised when she gave him a kiss on the cheek. She then winked at him before heading to her room for a short nap. A wheeze sounded in the Tardis as the largest grin fixed itself onto his face. He waited an hour or so until calling Rose to see if she still wanted to travel with him.

"Hello?" She answered in confusion.

"Right, I'll be a couple of hours, then we can go," The Doctor informed her, that silly grin still on his face.

"You've got a phone?" She asked.

"You think I can travel through space and time and I haven't got a phone?" He answered with a question before turning towards Alice's room, "Like I said, a couple of hours. I've just got to send out this dispersal. There you go. That's canceling out the Slitheen's advert in case any bargain hunters turn up."

"My mother's cooking," She informed him.

"Good. Put her on a slow heat and let her simmer," He stated.

"That's not what I meant, she's making tea and dinner for everyone," She told him.

"I don't do that," He immediately turned it down.

"She wants to get to know you," She countered.

"I've got better things to do," He really did, he'd rather wake his bonded up from her nightmare than have tea with Jackie Tyler.

"It's just tea, and she's my mother," Rose countered.

"Well, she's not mine," He stated, his hearts hurting at the memory of his own mother.

"That's not fair," She stated.

"Well, you can stay there if you want, but right now there's this plasma storm brewing in the Horsehead Nebula," He stated, "Fires are burning ten million miles wide. I could fly the Tardis right into the heart of it then ride the shock wave all the way out. Hurtle right across the sky and end up anywhere."

He hung up after that and quickly headed towards Alice's room. She was muttering in Galifreyan again. He knew exactly what she was dreaming about. He moved forward and placed a hand against her forehead and attempted to calm her the way his mother did when he was a child. She stopped muttering and her breathing patterns changed. He removed his hand as she started to wake up. Her eyes were glazed and he knew she was still half asleep.

"Why does this keep happening?" She asked, his hearts hurt at her broken tone.

"I don't know, love," He truthfully stated, he had a theory.

He just hoped he was wrong about it. She slowly woke up more and he watched as it dawned on her that she had another nightmare. She quickly sat up on the bed and he jumped in surprise when she rested her forehead on his shoulder. He felt her fear and confusion. He wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his cheek against her head.

"I'm sorry," She quietly told him, "I keep worrying you."

"It's okay," He mumbled into her hair.

She turned and looked at him in slight sadness. She didn't like worrying him, it brought too many negative emotions to the forefront of her mind. One of which was a uselessness that she hadn't felt since her primary school days after she had lost her mum and dad. She then thought about something that she was curious about.

"How does one strengthen a bond, Doctor?" Alice asked.

He flushed at that and held her closer. He knew of this tactic, having used it many times himself. The change of topic tactic. He turned his head towards her and noticed that she was looking at him with a serious expression. He had been wrong, she was being genuinely curious.

"Mainly physical means," he stated, he could feel his ears getting warm, "Simple things like holding hands or hugs that can slowly strengthen a bond."

"Okay," Alice stated, he felt the heat from her face and he smiled at that, "Got it."

"My people moved fast," The Doctor admitted, "Its different to how humans do so, by the time we find our bonded we begin courting them and with a small amount of time we get married. We have a long life to be together, we can cheat death around twelve times before we're done."

"Like regeneration?" Alice asked.

"Exactly," He grinned at her.

He was just enjoying his time he had to strengthen the bond. She gave him a tired smile back and he watched and she gave a close-mouthed yawn. He brushed her bangs back from her eyes and he watched as her cheeks became a light pink. He grinned, he had never guessed that his bonded would be as innocent as she was. She then hid her face in his shoulder.

"I should probably try and go back to sleep," Alice's muffled mutter caught his attention.

"Right," He stated before slowly removing his arms from her waist, he missed her warmth immediately.

She removed her face from his shoulder and he took his chance to give her a small peck on the forehead before heading out of her room. He could feel her happiness and could imagine her red face. He grinned as he opened the Tardis doors and stopped a child from walking as the Tardis wheezed at him. He fixed the boy a look.

"You need to clean off your graffiti, lad," The Doctor stated.

The boy didn't waste any time and quickly found a bucket and a brush. It took him the time he was stuck waiting for Rose to scrub at the words "Bad Wolf". Mickey had joined him and was sitting nearby on top of a rubbish bin with a newspaper in hand. The boy finished within three hours and he inspected the side of the Tardis.

"Good lad. Graffiti that again and I'll have you. Now, beat it," He stated, his own children had never been this bad.

He watched the boy run off and wondered if his present self could handle a child again. He looked over at the doors of the Tardis before smiling softly. He didn't doubt that he could, but he felt as though he wouldn't. Not with this face. He shook that thought from his head and headed towards Mickey.

"I just went down to the shop, and I was thinking, you know like the whole world's changed. Aliens and spaceships all in public. And here it is," Mickey stated and turned the newspaper to him that claimed aliens were a hoax, "How could they do that? They saw it."

"They're just not ready. You're happy to believe in something that's invisible, but if it's staring you in the face, nope, can't see it. There's a scientific explanation for that. You're thick," He joked.

"We're just idiots," Mickey joked back.

"Well, not all of you," The Doctor admitted as he dug through his jacket pockets before pulling a CD out.

"Yeah?" Mickey asked.

"Present for you, Mickey," The Doctor handed him the CD, "That's a virus. Put it online. It'll destroy every mention of me. I'll cease to exist."

"What do you want to do that for?" Mickey questioned as he accepted the CD.

"Because you're right, I am dangerous. I don't want anybody following me," Was his answer, "I do care deeply about those I travel with."

"Some more than others," Mickey pointed out, "Can't blame ya mate, she's a keeper."

"You could come with us," The Doctor offered.

"I can't. This life of yours, it's just too much. I couldn't do it. Don't tell her I said that," Mickey stated.

"Got enough stuff?" The Doctor asked an arguing Rose and Jackie came down from the stairs.

"Last time I stepped in there, it was spur of the moment. Now I'm signing up. You're stuck with me," Rose stated with a teasing laugh, "Alice inside sleeping?"

"Yeah, she's knackered and hasn't been sleeping well," He stated without missing a beat, he let out a grunt when Rose handed him her rucksack.

"Come with us. There's plenty of room," Rose told Mickey.

"No chance. He's a liability, I'm not having him on board," The Doctor stated after seeing Mickey shake his head behind Rose's.

"We'd be dead without him," Rose pointed out.

"My decision is final," The Doctor stated.

"Sorry," Rose apologized before giving Mickey a kiss goodbye.

"Good luck, yeah," Mickey told her.

She smiled at him and took her rucksack back from the Doctor.

"You still can't promise me. What if she gets lost? What if something happens to you, Doctor, and she's left all alone standing on some moon a million light years away. How long do I wait then?" Jackie asked.

"Mum, you're forgetting. It's a time machine. I could go traveling around suns and planets and all the way out to the edge of the universe, and by the time I get back, yeah, ten seconds would have passed. Just ten seconds. So stop worrying. See you in ten seconds' time, yeah?" Rose smiled, she gave her mother a hug before following the Doctor into the Tardis.

The doors closed behind her and she went to place her rucksack into her room. They were going to go on a new adventure and she was excited, even though her new best mate was sleeping, and ready for whatever was going to be thrown at her. She grinned in happiness as the sounds of the Tardis taking off sounded through the ship. She heard a sound from a room with a dark wooden door and she smiled at it. It fit her gothic police friend.


	7. Chapter 7

**Whoo, all day of writing and then you get a second chapter. There might be three in a row since I have a three day weekend due to an American holiday.**

* * *

Chapter 7 Dalek

* * *

The Doctor glanced at his companions as he landed the Tardis. He smiled before looking back down at the piece of psychic paper he held in his hands. He had received a call for help and he was willing to bring aid. He closed his wallet and placed it back in his jacket. He heard the door to the main console room open and he watched as Alice strolled in while searching in her messenger bag, she had a small frown on her face as she rummaged for something. She felt his eyes and looked towards him in confusion.

"What?" Alice quietly questioned, her cheeks gaining a small dusting of pink, "Am I late or something?"

"No, you're fine," The Doctor informed her with a small smile.

She gave him a look as Rose opened the door. Alice quickly followed after the blonde, and they looked around the dimly lit area with frowns on their faces. Alice quickly dug the toe of her shoe into the stiff carpet, and her frown turned into a scowl. She really didn't want to be reminded of her uncle's house. She really didn't need the horrible memories that started to crop up at the carpet.

"So, where are we?" Rose asked, looking at the cases that surrounded them.

"We're still on planet Earth, we're in Utah, North America," The Doctor explained to them, "We're half a mile underground. There's a distress signal that I picked up that I wanted to investigate."

"When are we?" Alice questioned.

"Two thousand and twelve," He responded with ease.

"I had to have been fourteen at the time," Alice muttered, eyeing a head made of metal.

She was vaguely reminded of a robot with headphones. She wondered if the Doctor had ever run into this creature before. For some reason, she didn't have any doubt that he had. It seemed like something he would've run into at one point or another. She made a face at it and wondered what it was called.

"So I should be twenty-six," Rose chuckled, "I'm an old lady compared to you."

Alice let out a laugh at that and stopped herself from running into a case when she took a step to her left. The Doctor smiled and headed over to the wall. He flicked a switch, and the lights came on, showing that they were inside an area with a collection of glass cases filled with different objects of differentiating sizes. The two women started to walk around the different cases with surprised expressions on their faces. The two kept their hands to themselves and made sure not to touch anything. They both knew what could come from touching glass cases that belonged to a museum.

"Blimey!" Rose exclaimed, "It's a great big museum."

"An alien museum," Alice pointed out, looking at a small device that was resting in one of the cases.

"Someone has a hobby," The Doctor stated, looking around with a nostalgic expression on his face, "They must have spent a fortune on this. Those are chunks of meteorite and moon dust. That's the milometer from the Roswell spaceship."

"That's a Slitheen's arm," Rose stated, stopping in front of a case, "It's been stuffed."

"What about this one?" Alice questioned, she had gone back to the metallic head.

"Oh, look at you," The Doctor breathed, joining her next to the case and peering at the head.

"So, what is it?" She asked.

"An old friend of mine," He responded, "Well, an enemy. The stuff of nightmares reduced to an exhibit."

He looked at the head and made a face at something. He was finding that Jackie was right about the age gap between him and the girls. He was old, and he was beginning to feel it. His eyes traveled his old enemy and he felt his nostalgia strengthen.

"I'm getting old," He stated.

"Is that where the signal's coming from?" Rose asked, joining them and eyeing the head in amazement.

"No, it's stone dead. The signals alive," He replied, "Something's reaching out, calling for help."

He reached up a hand and touched the glass case. Alarms started to blare as red lights flashed around them. The thundering steps of people surrounded them and they quickly held their hands up in defense as armed forces surrounded them. Alice looked at him in slight disbelief and he sheepishly smiled at her.

"If someone's collecting aliens, and that makes you Exhibit A," Rose informed him.

"He says to bring them in," A man's gruff voice stated.

A few of the armed soldier's walked forward and grabbed onto the time travelers arms. Alice glared at the woman that had a death grip on her arm. They were marched towards a lift and they were forced inside. The Doctor had brushed his fingers against Alice's and she relaxed slightly. The lift ride was awkward and they were met with a tall woman with curly, dirty blonde hair up in a tight ponytail on the back of her head. She looked at the soldiers and raised a brow at them.

"This way," She stated.

They were forced to follow and Rose turned and gave her soldier a stink eye as her annoyance began to show at them. The Doctor should've known better than to have touched the glass. He was pretty daft for someone so smart. Alice would say that he was lacking common sense. They walked into a modern room with artwork on the wall. There was a slight unimpressed look from the time travelers as they spotted the man in a portrait sitting at a handsome desk. How narcissistic could one be to have a self-portrait hanging in their office?

"What does it do?" The man from the portrait asked a younger man.

"Well, you see the tubes on the side?" The young man stated, "It must be to channel something. I think maybe fuel."

"I really wouldn't hold it like that," The Doctor pointed out.

"Shut it," The woman snapped at him.

"Really, though, that's wrong," He tried again.

"Is it dangerous?" The young man asked.

"No, it just looks silly," He responded with a smile.

He reached for the item and the soldier's in the room all readied their weapons to fire on him. Alice and Rose shared a look of disbelief of how he was acting. They could almost feel the testosterone in the room. It was beginning to get ridiculous. The man held up a hand before handing over the object. The Doctor took it with a grin and held it horizontally.

"You just need to be," He paused and stroked the metal making it create a soft tone, "Delicate."

"You got lucky with him didn't you," Rose whispered to Alice with a sly wink.

The brunette turned red and elbowed the blonde in a friendly manner. The Doctor continued to play the instrument and filled the room with a small melody that had been popular on his planet. Alice looked towards him and wondered where she had heard that melody before. It was far too familiar.

"It's a musical instrument," The man stated.

"And it's a long way from home," The Doctor stated in a fond tone.

"Here, let me," The man ripped it from the Doctors grasp.

He attempted to play the instrument but was only creating harsh sounds. Alice rolled her eyes at him and wondered if anyone really listened to the Doctor anymore. He continued his attempt at playing it and she winced at one of the harsher tones. The curly haired woman joined in her wince and eyed the man in dislike.

"I did say delicate. It reacts to the smallest fingerprint. It needs precision," The Doctor attempted to instruct him.

The man continued to play and eventually, he found the right amount of pressure. Soothing tones quickly filled the room and everyone watched in amusement as he finally got the hang of it. The Doctor smiled at him and felt proud at helping a human figure out new technology. He looked towards Alice and grinned at her. It fell slightly at her serious expression as she stared at the man in very well concealed dislike.

"Very good," The Doctor complimented the man, "Quite the expert."

"As are you," the man gave a sly grin before tossing the instrument to the side.

The Doctor frowned at him and he felt Alice's dislike at the man grow. She had rather liked that instrument and was upset that he had just tossed it like it was nothing. The young man had quickly moved to pick up the instrument and he looked at it to make sure that everything was all right with it.

"Who exactly are you?" The man asked the Doctor.

"I'm the Doctor," The Doctor introduced, "And who are you?"

"Like you don't know," The man stated in an arrogant tone, "We're hidden away with the most valuable collection of extra-terrestrial artifacts in the world, and you just stumbled in by mistake."

"Pretty much sums me up, yeah," The Doctor confirmed.

"The question is, how did you get in? Fifty-three floors down, with your little cat burglar accomplices," The man stated looking the two women up and down, his eyes lingered on Alice for longer than the Doctor was comfortable with, "You're quite a collector yourself, they're rather pretty."

"We're going to smack you if you don't stop looking us up and down," Rose informed him.

"Right on that," Alice confirmed.

"She's English too!" He said in regards to Rose, "Hey, little Lord Fauntleroy. We found you a girlfriend. We even found William Wallace."

"Oi, you wish you were as cool as Wallace," Alice growled at him.

"This is Mister Henry Van Statten," The young man introduced, ignoring the comment about his love life.

"And who's he when he's at home?" Rose asked.

"Mister Van Statten owns the internet," The young man replied.

"Don't be stupid. No one owns the internet," Rose quipped.

"Right, the internet is open to the public domain, it's just like no one really owns the deep web either," Alice agreed, Van Statten smirked at that and eyed the brunette with growing interest.

"And let's just keep the whole world thinking that way, right kids?" He asked.

"So you're just about an expert in everything except the things in your museum," The Doctor stated, "Anything you don't understand, you lock up."

"And you claim greater knowledge?" Van Statten challenged.

"I don't need to make claims, I know how good I am," Came the cocky reply.

"And yet, I captured you. Right next to the Cage," Van Statten countered, "What were you doing down there?"

"You tell me," The Doctor attempted to pry.

"The cage contains my one living specimen," Van Statten walked right into it.

The women in the room sighed in unison and Alice pinched the bridge of her nose in disbelief. The men in the room were idiots and having what constituted to a dick measuring contest. She felt a slight sadness as she heard something call for help. She turned her attention to the ground. She felt as though it was coming from down below them, where they had first landed.

"And what's that?" The Doctor asked.

"Like you don't know," Van Statten stated.

"Show me," The Doctor was barely able to keep the command out of his voice.

"You want to see it?" Van Statten asked.

"Blimey, you can smell the testosterone," Rose stated to Alice.

"It's like a dick measuring contest," Alice stated.

Rose giggled in agreement and the Doctor looked at them in slight confusion before returning his attention back to Van Statten. He really didn't like the man in front of him. He wondered if Alice was influencing his dislike for the man. He thought about it for a few seconds before deciding she hadn't. He just didn't like him.

"Goddard, inform the Cage we're heading down," The man ordered the curly haired woman, "You, English. Look after the girls. Go and canoodle or spoon or whatever it is you British do. And you, Doctor with no name, come and see my pet."

"I'm Scottish you daft idiot," Her accent had grown stronger in her slight anger.

"Don't go starting a fight," The Doctor murmured to her, "Remember we have communication."

"Right," Alice muttered as they were lead away by the younger man, "Don't get into trouble."

"I never go looking for it," The Doctor stated.

She smiled at that as he headed down a few floors to see what Van Statten had locked up. He knew that was where the signal was coming from. He looked around the lift with the smallest of frowns. He was getting a bad feeling about the creature in danger. He didn't know why that was something that Alice usually picked up on. He thought back to the Gelth and the Slitheen. She had sniffed out that something was wrong without a problem.

"We've tried everything. The creature has shielded itself but there are definite signs of life inside," Van Statten stated, that sounded far too familiar.

"Inside? Inside what?" He asked.

"Welcome back, sir. I've had to take the power down. The Metaltron is resting," A dark-haired man stated as he eyed the Doctor.

"Metaltron?" The Doctor asked he didn't like the sound of that.

"I thought of it myself. Good, isn't it? Although I'd much to prefer to find out its real name," Van Statten stated.

"Here, you'd better put these on," The man stated holding out a pair of gloves, "The last guy that touched it burst into flames."

"I won't touch it then," He stated with a raise of his eyebrows, they were treating him like an idiot.

He had learned his lesson about touching things, for now at least. He wasn't going to touch anything else in the complex. His thoughts wandered towards Alice and he felt fondness appear at the thought of the brunette. At least she was good at keeping him in line, but with her, out of sight, he had to play it by ear. His gigantic ears.

"Go ahead, Doctor. Impress me," Van Statten stated.

The Doctor did so and headed into the cage and looked around the dim room. The doors behind him closed with a loud thump and he spared them a small glance. He looked towards the darkest part of the room and took a deep breath. He had a small speech that could probably work with the creature.

"Look, I'm sorry about this," He stated, "Mister Van Statten might think he's clever, but never mind him. I've come to help. I'm the Doctor."

A chill went down his spine as a familiar blue light appeared in the dark corner. He felt the anger well up in him, and fear slowly began to win over the anger. It couldn't be what he thought it was. It just couldn't be.

"Doc Tor?" A robotic voice asked in unison with the blue light blinking.

"Impossible," He stated as he backed up away from the blue light.

"The Doctor?" The voice yelled in a questioning way.

The lights turned on and he eyed his greatest enemy in disbelief and horror. There should be no possible way for it to still be alive. There stood a bad-tempered pepper pot that was constricted by chains. He backed up even more as the blue light fixated on him. His hearts were hammering in his chest and he continued backing up even more.

"Exterminate! Exterminate!" The Pepperpot exclaimed, he sprinted to the door and began to bang on it.

"Let me out!" He screamed, he now knew how Alice felt on platform one.

"Exterminate!" The pot continued to exclaim, "You are an enemy of the Daleks! You must be destroyed!"

Its gun arm twitched and the Doctor braced himself for death. When it didn't come he looked at the Dalek in confusion before noticing the arm moving without firing. He barked out a laugh as he felt victory rise up in him. He wasn't going to be harmed; the Dalek was at his mercy now.

"It's not working," He stated in a joyous tone, "Fantastic! Oh, fantastic! Powerless! Look at you. The great space dustbin. How does it feel?"

"Keep back!" The Dalek commanded, the Doctor ignored that order and ran forwards the fleeing Dalek.

He was inches away from its eyepiece and was staring right into it. He knew that would cause it some distress. The Daleks never did like direct eye contact. He was ready to gloat to the Dalek, after all, he felt like it was right. Daleks still haunted his mind and they were haunting his bonded's dreams.

"What for? What're you going to do to me? If you can't kill, then what are you good for, Dalek?" The Doctor asked, "What's the point of you? You're nothing. What the hell are you here for?"

"I am waiting for orders," The Dalek informed him, he talked because he knew that the Doctor was unarmed.

"What does that mean?" The Doctor asked.

"I am a soldier. I was bred to receive orders," The Dalek proudly started.

"Well, you're never going to get any. Not ever," He gloated, a maniac grin appeared on his face.

"I demand orders!" The Dalek shouted.

"They're never going to come! Your race is dead! You all burnt, all of you. Ten million ships on fire. The entire Dalek race wiped out in one second," He gloated happily.

"You lie!" The Dalek yelled at him.

"I watched it happen. I made it happen," He responded his grin growing even more demented.

"You destroyed us?" The Dalek quietly asked.

"I had no choice," His tone was that of a broken man.

"And what of the Time Lords?" The Dalek questioned, he had to know the outcome of the war.

"Dead. They burnt with you," The Doctor stated, his voice showing his turmoil even more than his face, "The end of the last great Time War. Everyone lost."

"And the coward survived," The Dalek taunted.

"Oh, and I caught your little signal. Help me. Poor little thing," He started to taunt in a dark tone, "But there's no one else coming 'cause there's no one else left."

"I am alone in the universe," The Dalek whispered, "So are you. We are the same."

"We're not the same! I'm not," The Doctor exclaimed, he stopped himself for stating that he was no longer alone, he couldn't put Alice in any danger, he just couldn't, "No, wait. Maybe we are. You're right. Yeah, okay. You've got a point. 'Cause I know what to do. I know what should happen. I know what you deserve. Exterminate."

He walked over to a nearby console and he pulled a lever down with a very dark expression on his face. The Dalek let out screeches of pain as electricity traveled through its body. The Dalek hadn't expected the Doctor to turn violent. He hadn't pulled that into his calculations, the Doctor was a coward, but now the coward was fighting him.

"Have pity!" The Dalek pleaded.

"Why should I? You never did," The Doctor pointed out.

The doors to the cage began to open as the Dalek screamed for help. The Doctor was about to increase the amount of electricity that was hitting the Dalek when a few guards rushed forward and began to drag him off before turning off the electricity. Van Statten strolled in as the Doctor was being dragged from the room. The man was putting up one hell of a fight as he tried to stay in the room.

"I saved your life. Now talk to me. Goddamn it, talk to me!" Van Statten commanded the Dalek.

"You've got to destroy it!" The Doctor yelled at the balding man.

He was then dragged out of the room. He growled at the men holding onto him. He needed to finish off the Dalek before it hurt anyone. If that thing got back its power then everyone in the underground bunker was going to be killed. He had to keep Alice and Rose safe; he cared far too much for those two before something bad happened to them.

"The last in the universe. And now I know your name. Dalek. Speak to me, Dalek. I am Henry van Statten, now recognize me!" Van Statten stated, he then turned to the dark haired man, "Make it talk again, Simmons. Whatever it takes."

Alice and Rose looked around Adam's; they had finally learned the young man's name, office. It was messy and filled with different alien artifacts. It was a far cry from Alice's clean office space. It was also missing the large piles of paperwork. She did not miss paperwork one bit. She rather enjoyed traveling with the Doctor and seeing new things. She was just waiting for the time to catalog everything she had learned.

"Sorry about the mess. Mister Van Statten sort of lets me do my own thing, so long as I deliver the goods. What do you think that is?" Adam asked handing Rose a thick piece of metal.

"Er, a lump of metal?" Rose asked, she was getting the distinct feeling that Adam was flirting with her, she wasn't as flattered as when Indra did it.

"Yeah. Yeah, but I think, well, I'm almost certain, it's from the hull of a spacecraft. The thing is it's all true. Everything the United Nations tries to keep quiet, spacecraft, aliens, visitors to Earth," Adam stated, "They really exist."

"Sound about right," Alice stated, "The Government like's keeping the public out of the dark. Makes us easier to control."

"You must be fun at parties," Rose teased.

"Of course," Alice chuckled, "Though this isn't as impressive anymore with what we've seen, yeah?"

"A bit," Rose agreed, "Still must be a fun job to sit around a catalog everything."

"Best job in the world," Adam admitted, he found the two's conversation to be far too weird for him.

"Imagine if you could get out there. Travel amongst the stars and see it for real," Rose stated.

"Yeah, I'd give anything. I don't think it's ever going to happen. Not in our lifetimes," Adam stated.

"Oh, you never know," Rose shrugged, "What about all those people who say they've been inside of spaceships and things and talked to aliens?"

"I think they're nutters," Adam admitted.

"Us too," Rose confirmed.

"How'd you even end up here?" Alice asked.

"Van Statten has agents all over the world looking for geniuses to recruit," Adam stated, "They must've missed you somehow. You'd be wonderful controlling the Illuminati website."

"Thanks, but why's a genius like you working in a job where you could get dropped any second," Alice asked.

"For fun," Adam stated, "Almost cause world war three after hacking into the U.S. defenses. It was funny to watch them run around. Fantastic actually."

"You sound like my husband," Alice grumbled at that, she found that she enjoyed the Doctor more.

"So, wouldn't you rather be downstairs? I mean, you've got these bits of metal and stuff, but Mister Van Statten's got a living creature down there," Rose stated.

"Yeah. Yeah, well, I did ask, but he keeps it to himself," He replied, "Although, if you're a genius, it doesn't take long to patch through on the comm. system."

"Let's have a look, then," Rose stated, Adam had already hacked into the video feed from the cage.

Alice froze in surprise as the metallic creature of her nightmare's stood there in all its battered glory. Her heart skipped a beat and she felt a little dizzy. She was terrified of the chained up alien. She had watched it kill person after person, but a part of her felt bad for it. It was a very small part of her, but it was one that was enough to stop her from fainting. She felt anger over her bond with the Doctor and she shivered at the pure fury that was gushing through him. He must've seen it as well.

"It doesn't do much, the alien. It's weird. It's kind of useless. It's just like this great big pepper pot," Adam stated, it triggered something in Alice and she blankly looked at the screen.

"It's a murderer of worlds," Alice stated in a soft tone, getting their attention, "It started a war with a whole planet and killed without mercy. Both sides should be wiped out, but both have one that survived."

"The Doctor," Rose stated as it hit her.

"And the Dalek," Alice confirmed, "If that thing gets back to full power than the entire bunker is dead, and then the world."

"How do you know this?" Adam asked her.

"I don't know, but I'd like to have a word with it," Alice stated, "I just want some answers. I want to know why."

"Give me a few seconds," Adam informed her.

The Doctor was stuck in a lift with Van Statten and was glaring at the man. He knew that Alice had seen it, just by the sheer terror he had felt until she went into a slight anger. She wanted answers and he knew that she would get them, he just didn't know how. He had hoped that she would stay out of trouble.

"The metal's just battle armor. The real Dalek creature's inside," The Doctor told them.

"What does it look like?" Van Statten asked.

"A nightmare. It's a mutation. The Dalek race was genetically engineered," The Doctor explained, "Every single emotion was removed except hate."

"Genetically engineered. By whom?" Van Statten asked.

"By a genius, Van Statten. By a man who was king of his own little world. You'd like him," The Doctor hissed.

"It's been on Earth for over fifty years. Sold at a private auction, moving from one collection to another. Why would it be a threat now?" Goddard asked.

"Because I'm here. How did it get to Earth? Does anyone know?" The Doctor asked.

"The records say it came from the sky like a meteorite. It fell to Earth on the Ascension Islands. Burnt in its crater for three days before anybody could get near it and all that time it was screaming. It must have gone insane," Goddard answered.

"It must have fallen through time," The Doctor thought out loud, "The only survivor."

"You talked about a war?" Goddard asked.

"The Time War. The final battle between my people and the Dalek race," He answered her.

"But you survived, too," Van Statten pointed out.

"Not by choice," He responded.

"This means that the Dalek isn't the only alien on Earth. Doctor, there's you," Van Statten stated, "The only one of your kind in existence."

The Doctor was then glad that Alice was still a hundred percent Human. If not then this would've been a bad situation for her. He glared at the soldiers as they forced his jacket and jumper off and chained him to the ceiling and a medical table. His glare increased when a machine was pointed at him.

"Now, smile!" Van Statten stated the machine started and a painful laser went down his body.

He let out a yell of pain as his chest cavity was shown on a screen. His breathing was heavy after the machine was turned off. Great, he went and got himself into trouble. He gave an exhausted glare towards Van Statten.

"Two hearts! Binary vascular system. Oh, I am so going to patent this," The balding man stated.

"So that's your secret. You don't just collect this stuff, you scavenge it," The Doctor hissed.

"This technology has been falling to Earth for centuries. All it took was the right mind to use it properly. Oh, the advances I've made from alien junk," Van Statten stated as he walked around the Doctor, "You have no idea, Doctor. Broadband? Roswell. Just last year my scientists cultivated bacteria from the Russian crater, and do you know what we found? The cure for the common cold. Kept it strictly within the laboratory of course. No need to get people excited. Why sell one cure when I can sell a thousand palliatives?"

"Do you know what a Dalek is, Van Statten?" The Doctor asked, "A Dalek is honest. It does what it was born to do for the survival of its species. That creature in your dungeon is better than you."

"In that case, I will be true to myself and continue," Van Statten smirked.

"Listen to me! That thing downstairs is going to kill every last one of us!" The Doctor pleaded.

"Nothing can escape the Cage," Van Statten informed him as he started the laser up again.

"But it's woken up. It knows I'm here. It's going to get out. Van Statten, I swear, no one on this base is safe. No one on this planet!" The Doctor stated before the pain became far too much for him and he screamed.

Alice, Adam, and Rose made their way down to the Dalek's cage. A few guards looked at them in slight surprise as they neared the door. One of them stepped forward ready to stop them from entering.

"Hold it right there," A man stated.

"Level three access. Special clearance from Mister Van Statten," Adam stated.

The door opened and Alice went in first. Rose followed behind in slight confusion as she watched the blank expression change to one of anger and fear. It then melded to pity. She had to admit that the Dalek did look pathetic. It made you want to pity it.

"Hello," Alice greeted, "I'm Alice, a friend of the Doctor's, and I just want to know why."

It was a few seconds as the Dalek studied the woman in front of it. She had serious eyes, but they were clouded in pity and slight anger. It knew that it would be impossible to trick this woman into helping it reconstruct. It looked down before speaking.

"The Time Lords were contaminated and dirty," The Dalek stated, "Humans are also below the Dalek."

"Is that so, is that why you're here being tortured by said humans?" Alice questioned, "Does it cause you pain?"

"It does," The Dalek admitted.

Adam moved behind Alice and accidentally bumped into her. She pitched forward and her hand caught onto the dome of the Dalek. Her hand was burning slightly and she quickly rightened herself and removed it. Rose looked at it in horror as she saw the golden handprint that was fading into the metal of the dome.

"Oh no," Rose stated, "Of all the times to trip."

"Believe me it wasn't on purpose," Alice yelled, "Everyone get out of the cage! The Dalek's going to attack."

The three quickly scrambled out of the cage and headed out as the Dalek began to yell at what was going on with its body. The man that had been put in charge of the Dalek's torture looked at the three as they yelled at the guards to close the door. One of them moved quickly as the dark haired man went to stop the Dalek.

"Condition red! Condition red!" A man announced, "I repeat, this is not a drill!"

That call went through the entire bunker and the Doctor looked at Statten with a blank expression. The man was going to cause far too many deaths to happen. Statten looked at the Doctor while thinking it out.

"Release me if you want to live," The Doctor stated.

Statten did that and he placed his jumper and jacket back on. They moved out of the room and towards a nearby monitor. He turned it on and watched as Alice and Rose appeared on the screen. Alice looked a little peeved and he wondered how the Dalek got genetic material to reconstruct its metal shell.

"You've got to keep it in that cell," The Doctor stated.

"Doctor, Adam bumped into her and she fell onto the Dalek," Rose quickly stated.

"My fault, I was a bit too close to it," Alice admitted, "We need to trap it down here, that compartment isn't going to last against it."

The soldiers all began to fire at the Dalek as it traveled out of the compartment. Van Statten glared at the screen as he watched his property being shot at. Alice fixed him with a blank look and then gave him her fiercest glare.

"Don't shoot it! I want it unharmed," Van Statten ordered.

"Tough, if that Dalek gets out the human race is gone for," Alice informed him, "We'll be heading up towards your position, see what you can do to keep the Dalek down here."

"Right, keep them safe," The Doctor stated.

"Of course," Alice grimly smiled.

She looked towards Rose and Adam and motioned for them to follow her. A blonde soldier followed after them as they ran towards the stairs. It was a dire situation and the lifts weren't working as the Dalek began to drain the base of electricity to continue fixing itself up. The soldier watched as they headed through a series of tunnels.

"We're losing power. It's draining the base. Oh, my God. It's draining entire power supplies for the whole of Utah," Goddard stated as she looked a different monitor.

"It's downloading," The Doctor stated.

"Downloading what?" Van Statten asked.

"Sir, the entire West Coast has gone down," Goddard stated.

"It's not just energy. That Dalek just absorbed the entire internet. It knows everything," The Doctor stated.

"The cameras in the vault have gone down," Goddard informed the two men as they all took a seat at a monitor to monitor the situation.

"We've only got emergency power. It's eaten everything else. You've got to kill it now!" The Doctor stated.

"All guards to converge in the Metaltron cage, immediately," Goddard ordered.

Alice was leading the way through the lower levels and Rose watched as her eyes traveled across the area. She was in police mode and ready to fight to the death. Soldiers passed them by and each one fell to the blue laser that the Dalek shot. Rose let out a scream when a man close to her fell to the ground in a final scream.

"Tell them to stop shooting at it," Van Statten shouted.

"But it's killing them!" Goddard yelled back.

"They're dispensable. That Dalek is unique. I don't want a scratch on its bodywork, do you hear me? Do you hear me?" Statten stated as the sounds of gunfire stopped.

"All the soldiers down there are dead," The Doctor stated, "How much alien weaponry do you have?"

"Lots of them, but the trouble is the Dalek's between us and them," Goddard stated in annoyance.

"We've got to keep that thing alive. We could just seal the entire vault, trap it down there," Statten stated, the Doctor glared at him and moved to look over Goddard's shoulder.

"Leaving everyone trapped with it. My wife is down there, Rose is down there," The Doctor hissed at the man, "I won't let that happen. Have you got that? It's got to go through this area. What's that?"

"Weapons testing," Goddard answered.

"Give guns to the technicians, the lawyers, anyone," The Doctor ordered, "Everyone. Only then have you got a chance of killing it."

"Finally the stairs," Alice sighed in relief, "It can still go upstairs, but they'll slow it down."

"You all get up there and escape, I'll buy you all time," The female soldier told them, "Go, and make sure this son of a bitch doesn't eradicate the human race."

"Godspeed," Alice told the soldier.

The three young adults began to run up the stairs and eventually they heard the sound of gunfire before it suddenly stopped. Alice made a face at that and made a mental note to deck Statten in the face. This was his fault; he should've listened when he was told to destroy it, the Dalek's stop at nothing to destroy every living thing. She felt as though she was trapped in one of her nightmares. Only this time the end was something she didn't know.

"I thought you were the great expert, Doctor," Van Statten stated, "If you're so impressive, then why not just reason with this Dalek? It must be willing to negotiate. There must be something it needs. Everything needs something."

"What's the nearest town?" The Doctor asked.

"Salt Lake City," Statten answered.

"Population?" The Doctor continued as he watched the two dots that signified his companions travel through the compounds.

"One million," Was the answer.

"All dead. If the Dalek gets out, it'll murder every living creature. That's all it needs," The Doctor stated.

"But why would it do that?" Goddard asked.

"Because it honestly believes they should die. Human beings are different, and anything different is wrong," The Doctor answered her before turning towards Statten, "It's the ultimate in racial cleansing and you, Van Statten, and you've let it loose! The Dalek's surrounded by a force field. The bullets are melting before they even hit home, but it's not indestructible."

"He needs to give us a phone call, my earpiece isn't working at the moment," Alice stated.

They entered the loading bay and continued on their way as they passed more soldiers alongside the regular employees. They couldn't stay around to see the way the Dalek took care of the humans that were inside. They had limited time and they needed to use it to get to safety. Rose felt a stitch appear in her side as she pushed herself through it. If she took a break then she was going to get left behind.

"Perhaps it's time for a new strategy. Maybe we should consider abandoning this place," Van Statten stated.

"Except there's no power to the helipad, sir," Goddard stated, "We can't get out."

"You said we could seal the vault," The Doctor pointed out.

"It was designed to be a bunker in the event of nuclear war. Steel bulkheads and the works," Statten answered.

"There's not enough power, those bulkheads are massive," Goddard pointed out.

"We've got emergency power. We can re-route that to the bulkhead doors," The Doctor responded.

"We'd have to bypass the security codes. That would take a computer genius," Goddard pointed out.

"Good thing you've got me, then," Statten stated.

"Suddenly you want to help?" The Doctor sarcastically asked.

"I don't want to die, Doctor. Simple as that. And nobody knows this software better than me," Statten stated, Goddard hit both of the men and got their attention to the Dalek that was on the screen, it was surrounded by bodies in the water from the fire sprinklers.

"I shall speak only to the Doctor," The Dalek stated.

"You're going to get rusty," The Doctor quipped.

"I fed off the DNA of Alice Sigma," The Dalek stated, the Doctor looked towards the Dalek in confusion before it dawned on him, she may not have changed her name in human terms, but the bond changed it in a way that showed everyone who she was married to, "Extrapolating the biomass of a dimension traveler regenerated me."

"What's your next trick?" The Doctor hissed.

"I have been searching for the Daleks," The Dalek stated.

"Yeah, I saw. Downloading the internet. What did you find?" The Doctor knew what it would find.

"Nothing. Where shall I get my orders now?" The Dalek asked.

"You're just a soldier without commands," The Doctor pointed out.

"Then I shall follow the Primary Order, the Dalek instinct to destroy, to conquer," The Dalek stated.

"What for? What's the point? Don't you see it's all gone? Everything you were, everything you stood for," The Doctor stated, "If you want orders, follow this one. Kill yourself."

"The Daleks must survive!" The Dalek shouted.

"The Daleks have failed! Why don't you finish the job and make the Daleks extinct? Rid the Universe of your filth. Why don't you just die?" The Doctor yelled at the Dalek.

It was quiet in the office for a few seconds as the Dalek looked up at the monitor in contemplation. He had never seen a Dalek do so before. It was fairly similar as to how Alice would sometimes go silent and think. It was a bad thing, the Dalek was changing and that was going to drive it even further into insanity.

"You would make a good Dalek," The Dalek stated before destroying the monitor.

"Seal the Vault," The Doctor ordered.

"I can leech power off the ground defenses, feed it to the bulkheads. God, it's been years since I had to work this fast," Statten stated.

"Are you enjoying this?" The Doctor growled.

"Doctor, they're still down there," Goddard informed him.

The Doctor grabbed a cordless landline and began to type in Alice's number. He had caught it on Rose's phone back on Downing Street. A monitor caught her ringtone and he felt a small smile tug at his lips. It was a classical piece that had to belong to a television show.

"We're on level forty-nine," Alice answered as they continued going up, "It's going to take us some time to get up these steps."

"You've got to keep moving. The vault's being sealed off up at level forty-six," The Doctor told her.

"Like we're doing anything else," She sarcastically stated, "We'll try and get up as fast as we can."

"We need better dates," The Doctor quietly quipped, she gave him a breathy laugh before she put her phone into her pocket and yelled to the others to hurry up.

"Done it. We've got power to the bulkheads," Statten stated as the group started going up the stairs even faster.

"The Dalek's right behind them," Goddard informed the Doctor.

"We're nearly there. Give us two seconds," Rose pointed out, speaking loud enough that her voice could be heard over the phone.

"Doctor, I can't sustain the power. The whole system is failing," Statten told him, "Doctor, you've got to close the bulkheads."

"I'm sorry," The Doctor told them.

"Come on!" Adam yelled as the bulkhead began to inch down.

He was able to duck under it and run through it while Rose had to roll. Alice stopped as it closed before her. She let out a curse and looked behind her at the approaching Dalek. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she leaned against the door and caught her breath. She could hear Rose screaming on the other side of the bulkhead; she then heard the blonde sobbing.

"The vault is sealed," Statten stated.

"Alice, did you make it?" The Doctor asked, "Did Rose make it?"

"Sorry, I was a little too slow," Alice stated, "Rose will be on her way up to you. Guess we'll have to put our next date on hold. Remember that this wasn't your fault. I'm glad that I got to meet you."

"Exterminate!" The Dalek shouted and shot a laser at her, but it missed and hit the wall next to her.

"You missed," she pointed out, her phone had disconnected from the static in the air.

"I am armed. I will kill. It is my purpose," The Dalek told her.

"Then why did you miss?" Alice asked, "All those people that you killed, that are dead because of you, and you suddenly miss?"

"They are dead because of us," The Dalek stated, "I feel your fear."

"What else were you expecting? Enthusiastic happiness?" Alice asked, "Why are you so confused? This doesn't make sense if I put it to the context of the Daleks."

"You gave me life. What else have you given me? I am contaminated," The Dalek shouted, it turned and looked towards a nearby security camera, "Open the bulkhead or Alice Sigma dies."

"You're alive!" The Doctor's happy exclamation caught her attention, drawing it away from her changed last name.

"I'm very stubborn apparently," Alice quipped, "but you already knew that."

"I did and it's one of the great things about you," The Doctor stated, a smile appeared on her face at that.

"Open the bulkhead!" The Dalek commanded.

"Don't do it," Alice counteracted, "I'm not important compared to the billions out there."

"What use are emotions if you will not save the woman you love?" The Dalek asked.

"Now that's dirty and you know it!" Alice hissed at the Dalek.

"I can't lose her," The Doctor stated.

The bulkhead opened and the Dalek made Alice move through the open door. They caught her cursing profusely as she did so. The Dalek seemed to be memorizing the curses she was using. They headed to a lift and the brunette glared at the salt shaker of an alien before speaking.

"Don't kill them, after all, you didn't kill me," Alice pointed out.

"But why not? Why are you alive? My function is to kill. What am I? What am I?" The Dalek asked.

"Only you can decide that at this point," Alice stated, she felt pity rise up for the murdering alien, "This must be driving you insane."

The lift doors opened and they headed towards the main office. The Dalek entered the office first and the brunette quickly followed after. Brown eyes lit up in happiness as Rose saw her best friend walk in unharmed.

"Stay there, nobody move or do anything," Alice ordered, "It's starting to go through an existential crisis, and it's questioning its purpose in life."

"Van Statten. You tortured me. Why?" The Dalek asked.

"I wanted to help you. I just, I don't know. I was trying to help. I thought if we could get through to you if we could mend you. I wanted you better. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! I swear, I just wanted you to talk!" Statten struggled to explain himself as he was backed up against a wall.

"Then hear me talk now. Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!" The Dalek stated before Alice moved in the way.

"I agree with you, but don't," Alice stated, "What else would you want besides to exterminate, there has to be something."

"I want freedom," The Dalek stated before turning and heading out of the office.

It headed all the way to level one before stopping. It slowly looked up to the ceiling before shooting at it and creating a section of sunlight to fall upon it and Alice. Alice closed her eyes and welcomed the warm sun on her skin. She had missed it after running through underground tunnels.

"Being in dark tunnels makes one miss the feel of sunlight," Alice stated.

"How does it feel?" The Dalek asked, it opened its middle dome sections and revealed the one-eyed mutant that was held inside.

It held out a tentacle and for the first time, Alice didn't want it dead. She couldn't help but pity it. She hated it, she hated all Daleks, but this one was changed and that caused her pity. She heard footsteps moving towards her and she held a hand up.

"Don't," Alice stated, "You can't possibly hate it more than it hates itself. It just wanted the sunlight of all things. You're changing and that's the worst thing for you."

"They're all dead," The Doctor stated, he could feel her pity and he agreed with it.

"Why do we survive?" The Dalek asked.

"I don't know," The Doctor admitted as he lowered his gun.

"I am the last of the Daleks," The Dalek stated.

"You aren't even that anymore," Alice softly stated, "You're mutating, I'm sorry."

"I can feel so many ideas. So much darkness," The Dalek stated, "Alice, give me orders. Order me to die."

"If that's what you want," Alice stated, "Then do it."

"Are you frightened, Alice Sigma?" The Dalek asked.

"Always," Alice admitted.

"So am I," The Dalek admitted as well as it closed its eye.

Alice headed towards the Doctor and he watched as the Dalek closed its armor and the balls on it detached to create a force field. It then imploded in a safe manner. Alice looked up at the Doctor and let out a soft sigh. She was tired.

"I get the feeling that isn't the last I'll see of the Dalek's," Alice stated, "You were prepared to shoot it down."

"I couldn't lose you, I couldn't let it get out," The Doctor explained, "You pitied it; even knowing what it had and could do."

"For now yes I do," Alice agreed, "We should head back to the Tardis and get going."

"You upset?" The Doctor asked, he already knew that she was but he wanted to ask her.

"Not at you, but Statten and myself," Alice admitted, "If he had just listened and I hadn't fallen on it."

They headed down to the Tardis and Alice walked in first. She disliked the fact that she had helped the enemy. That's what the Dalek's were to her. Enemies. They would kill without a second thought, but the one she had changed. She felt pity for it. She headed into the virtual room and began to mess around with the universe program. Planets zipped past her as she waited for the Tardis take off and for her mind to be taken off of the Dalek. She didn't want to think about it anymore.

"I'm angry," Alice muttered, "Am I angry at myself? That's the real question."

It was one that she didn't have an answer for. The Tardis wheezed at her and moved the planets around her in a soothing manner. The Tardis couldn't blame the young woman for feeling compassion; it was a part of her. Something that the Tardis could see was usually kept under a layer of skepticism from seeing the darkest face of humanity. She let out another wheeze and moved it so that Gallifrey was in front of Alice. The woman smiled softly at the planet before feeling tears going down her face. The Time War was on pause at the moment, and she didn't know who was going to win. At the moment she was starting to wonder if the war was just going to end in one large standstill.


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you for all the reviews! I really appreciate them and they help push me to continue onwards with this story! This will be edited later and fixed! For now I'm just getting them out.**

Chapter 8 _The Long Game_

"It's been a long month and it doesn't feel like it," Alice muttered as she sat at her desk in her room.

Rose was getting the Doctor to allow Adam on their next trip, but the Doctor was very unsure of the younger male. She could see where he was coming from. There was something cunning about Adam that caused her to pause in her writing. She was just finishing up her section in her journal about the Slitheen before moving onto a page about the Dalek, something she was trying to be truthful about and not opinionated. She couldn't decide if she liked him or not.

"You've been hiding, love," A familiar voice stated.

"Sorry, I'll try not to," Alice sheepishly smiled as she turned to look back at the Doctor, "Still unsure about him?"

"There's something off about him," The Doctor admitted as he looked over her shoulder at the page on the Slitheen, "You spelt the planets name right."

"I asked the Tardis about it and she helped me figure it out," Alice admitted, "She's bloody brilliant."

He smiled at that before noticing that she was wearing a sun dress of all things. He had never seen her wear something that feminine. He wondered if it was the Tardis or Rose that got her to wear it. He looked at the burn scar on her arm and his smile fell slightly.

"We're getting ready to land," The Doctor told her, "I'll give the boy a test run."

"That's nice of you," Alice smiled as she capped her pen and closed the blue journal.

She got up from her desk and he held out a hand. She smiled at him and placed her hand in his. They walked to the main console as the Tardis happily wheezed. He opened the door to the console room and Rose greeted them with a grin. The Doctor released her hand and pulled a lever, stopping the Tardis's flight. The three of them headed out the door and Adam elected to stay inside.

"So it's two hundred thousand, and it's a spaceship. No, wait a minute, space station," The Doctor stated, "and er, go and try that gate over there. Off you go."

"Two hundred thousand?" Rose asked.

"Two hundred thousand," The Doctor confirmed.

"Right," Rose nodded, she then opened the Tardis door again and popped her head inside, "Adam? Out you come."

Adam slowly walked out and his moth opened in amazement. Alice smiled slightly, she had been amazed her first time as well. Traveling through time seemed to have that effect of people. Then again her first trip, if one could call it that, had been to see the Beatles in their first American appearance. She smiled fondly at the memory, now that had been a wonderful date.

"Oh, my God," Adam gasped.

"Even after traveling for a while, it's still amazing to see everything," Alice stated, "You kind of don't get used to it."

"Where are we?" Adam asked.

"Good question. Let's see," Rose stated, "So, er, judging by the architecture, I'd say we're around the year two hundred thousand. If you listen."

"Yeah," Adam stated after they all went silent and listened to the distant sounds of engines.

"Engines," Rose continued, "We're on some sort of space station. Yeah, definitely a space station. It's a bit warm in here. They could turn the heating down. Tell you what - let's try that gate. Come on!"

Alice closed the Tardis door as Rose began to lead the group towards a metal gate. The brunette quickly caught up and her eyes widened as she was welcomed to a shifted Earth. It looked, sickly. She gained a sorrowful expression, the planet looked like it was suffocating due to the pollution that seemed to Incase it.

"Here we go! And this is," Rose struggles for words, "I'll let the Doctor describe it."

"The Fourth great and bountiful Human Empire. And there it is, planet Earth at it's height. Covered with mega-cities, five moons, population ninety six billion. The hub of a galactic domain stretching across a million planets, a million species, with mankind right in the middle," The Doctor explained.

It seemed to be far too much for Adam as the young man fainted on the three. None of them really reacted, except for Alice's wince of slight sympathy.

"He's your boyfriend," The Doctor reminded Rose.

"Not anymore," Rose stated, "Besides, I'm still with Mickey y'know."

"Good ol' Mickey," Alice chuckled slightly.

They shared a small smile at that and waited for Adam to come around. They waited for a good half hour until he gave a groan before sitting up. He looked around in confusion. His expression slowly changed to one of understanding as it dawned on him that he hadn't been dreaming. Alice smiled as they headed into a central hub.

"Come on, Adam," The Doctor stated, "Open your mind. You're going to like this. Fantastic period of history. The human race at its most intelligent. Culture, art, politics. This era has got fine food, good manners."

"Out of the way!" A man stated as he pushed past Alice.

The Doctor glared at the man as he helped her gain her balance back. She turned and glared at the man. She was annoyed at the man and slightly confused. Didn't he just say that people had good manners? It seemed like the opposite was true. People began bustling around the area and stalls opened up around them and began to hawk at the people.

"Thank you very much indeed. Somebody there? That's great. What do you want, love? All right, keep moving. I'll be with you lot in a minute. Here you are. One at a time. What now, what was it? Kronkburger with cheese, kronkburger with pajatos. Do you want a drink? Oi, you, mate. Stop pushing. Get back. I said, back!" A chef yelled as customers began to crowd his stall.

"That's fine cuisine?" Rose questioned.

"My watch must be wrong, " The Doctor stated, he looked down at the watch on his wrist and frowned, "No, it's fine. It's weird."

"So it's not supposed to be like this, " Alice muttered, "Somethings fishy about this."

"That's what comes of showing off, " Rose commented, "Your history's not as good as you thought it was."

"My history's perfect, " The Doctor defended.

"Well, obviously not, " She countered.

"Children behave, " Alice teased in a light tone before shifting to a serious one, "Everyone's human, where's the different species?"

"Fantastic question, " The Doctor stated before turning to look at Adam, the young man was looking a little pale, "You're looking a bit peaky."

"No, I'm just a bit time sick," Adam mumbled.

"No, you just need a bit of grub," The Doctor informed him, he grinned before heading towards the Kronkburger stall, "Oi, mate! How much is a kronkburger?"

"Two credits twenty, sweetheart," The Chef answered with a flirtatious wink, "Now join the queue."

"Money," He stated as he walked past the group, "We need money. Let's use a cashpoint."

"Attention all staff. All coverage of the Glasgow water riots being transferred five through nine," A female voice announced.

The Doctor rolled his eyes slightly as he went to a Credit Five cashpoint and did something that was very familiar to Alice. She smiled as he pressed his sonic against the screen and fiddled around until a plastic card popped out. He picked it up before handing it to Adam.

"There you go, pocket money," The Doctor stated, "Don't spend it all on sweets."

"You are still so Northern," Alice stated in amusement.

"How does it work?" Adam asked, raising a brow as the Doctor smiled at Alice in amusement.

"Go and find out. Stop nagging me," He stated, an elbow went into his side and he toned it down while sending a frowning Alice a pout, "The thing is, Adam, time travel's like visiting Paris. You can't just read the guide book, you've got to throw yourself in. Eat the food, use the wrong verbs, get charged double and end up kissing complete strangers. Or is that just me? Stop asking questions, go and do it."

"Sounds like a fun first date," Alice stated as Rose gave a lopsided grin.

"You're going to get a smack, you are," Rose teased before heading after Adam.

"So, investigation time?" Alice asked.

The Doctor offered his arm and she accepted with a smile. He felt as though things were going smoothly, for the most part. His only issue was the way this time was. It was supposed to be how he described it, not the way he was seeing. His eyes traveled to Alice as she surveyed her surroundings. A bead of sweat traveled down the side of her face and he noted that her hair was plastered to her face. He knew it was a bit hot, but not that hot. He noticed a pair of smartly dressed women and walked up to them,

"Sorry this is going to sound daft, but can you tell us where we are?" He asked.

"Floor One Three Nine," The Dark skinner woman stated with a raised brow, "Could they write it any bigger?"

"Floor one three nine of what?" Alice asked.

"Must've been a hell of a party," The dark skinned woman chuckled.

"A little bit," Alice smiled, a little bit of mirth was noticeable in her eyes.

"You're on Satellite Five," The Brunette replied with a smile.

"What's Satellite Five," The Doctor asked.

"Come on, how could you get on board without knowing where you are?" The Dark skinned woman asked.

"It was really one hell of a party, one minute we're drinking and having a good time next we're waking up without any clue how we got here," Alice stated, "It doesn't help that we aren't the sharpest tools in the shed."

"Hold on, wait a minute. Are you a test? Some sort of management test kind of thing?" The Brunette asked them.

The Doctor and Alice shared a look. Well it was as good as they were going to get. She didn't really need to play the party route did she? That was going to be one hell of an explanation to the Doctor later.

"You've got us," The Doctor confirmed, " Well done. You're too clever for us."

He brought out his wallet and flashed his psychic paper at them. The two women read it in surprise. They hadn't been informed that the management, and his police officer wife, was going to be asking questions. The dark skinned woman looked at the blue eyed woman and stood up straighter. There may not be a ring on her finger, but it was obvious that the two were close.

"We were warned about this in basic training. All workers have to be versed in company promotion," The brunette stated.

"Of course," Alice smiled before bringing out a pad of paper and pencil.

They all wondered where she pulled it from before the Doctor noticed that the dress had pockets. Of course it did. He didn't know what else he was expecting at this point.

"Right, fire away, ask your questions," The Dark skinned woman stated, "If it gets me to Floor five hundred I'll do anything."

"Why, what happens on Floor five hundred?" The Doctor questioned.

"The walls are made of gold. And you should know, Mister Management," She responded, "this is what we do."

She lead them to a wall of monitors and she pressed a hand to one of them. Alice's eyes widened in amazement at the different news sources. She smiled softly at the face of Boe as he appeared on one of the monitors.

"Latest news, sandstorms on the new Venus archipelago. Two hundred dead. Glasgow water riots into their third day. Space lane seventy seven closed by sunspot activity. And over on the Bad Wolf channel, the Face of Boe has just announced he's pregnant," The Woman continued.

Alice paused at the mention of Bad Wolf. She felt as though she'd heard that before. She looked towards the monitors once again and she felt the need to hold the Doctor's hand. That was something she hadn't done in years, she hadn't felt the need to hold someone's hand in a long time.

"I get it. You broadcast the news," The Doctor stated.

"We are the news. We're the journalists. We write it, package it and sell it. Six hundred channels all coming out of Satellite Five, broadcasting everywhere," The Dark skinned woman stated in amusement, "Nothing happens in the whole human empire without it going though us."

"Sounds boring," Alice stated in a full tone, "Does anyone go out into the field to get a first hand account of said news?"

"Er, no there hasn't been need to do that in a hundred years," The woman replied.

Alice made a face that showed she thought her point was proven. She now knew what to think of the entire station. It was a scam. It was just a farce of information. It didn't seem like anyone was fact checking to her. The Doctor rested a hand on her locker back and she let out a sigh, she was getting to focused on one thing. His emotions turned amused before becoming serious, she gave him a sideways glance. They weren't going to have a normal date, were they?

The buzzing of an alarm jolted her from that line of thought and the Dark skinned woman smiled at them as the Doctor looked around for their two missing companions. He whistled and startled the two and they looked over in confusion. Rose shot him a dirty look as she took a sip from one of the drinks she was holding.

"Oi! Mutt and Jeff! Over here!" The Doctor called.

The blonde rolled her eyes and headed over to the two. She smiled at Alice and handed over the second drink. Alice smiled in gratitude as she eyed Adam in slight distrust.

"Thought you might be famished," Rose grinned, "This one is apparently strawberry banana, the one I had was sorta beefy."

"You are a saint, Rose Tyler," Alice grinned.

"It's what best mates do," Rose grinned back.

The two linked arms and the Doctor shook his head in amusement at the two. The dark skinned woman raised a brow before turning on her heel and leading the group towards their destination. They were welcomed to the sight of an octogenarian desk of the floor surrounding a central chair. The Doctor frowned at the sight before the woman moved to be seen by the group of people who had just walked in.

"Now, everybody behave. We have a management inspection. How do you want it, by the book?" She asked.

"Right from scratch, thanks," The Doctor smiled.

"Okay. So, ladies, gentlemen, multi-sex, undecided or robot, my name is Cathica Santini Khadeni. That's Cathica with a C, in case you want to write to Floor five hundred praising me, and please do," The woman stated, that caused a smile to come from Alice who knew how hard it could be to climb ranks, "Now, please feel free to ask any questions. The process of news gathering must be open, honest, and beyond bias. That's company policy."

"Actually, it's the law," The Brunette from earlier cut in.

"Yes, thank you, Suki," Cathica stated in an annoyed tone, "Okay, keep it calm. Don't show off for the guests. Here we go."

She sat herself in the central chair as the other employees sat themselves at the low desk. Their hands went into molds and they all closed their eyes as though in thought. Cathica looked up and gave a deep breath.

"Engage safety," She ordered, the lights turned on and she snapped her fingers and a door opened on her forehead, "and three, two, and spike."

A beam of light shone into the door and her eyed gained a glassy look to them. Adam and Alice watched in various forms of awe. Alice quickly turned to slight disgust at the idea of having an opening on her head. Seemed like a bad idea.

"Compressed information, streaming into her. Reports from every city, every country, every planet, and they all get packaged inside her head," The Doctor explained, "she becomes part of the software. Her brain is the computer."

"If it all goes through her, she must be a genius," Rose stated.

"If she can remember it," Alice agreed, she turned her attention to the drink that Rose had gotten her.

"Nah, she wouldn't remember any of it," He informed them, "There's too much. Her head'd blow up. The brain's the processor. As soon as it closes, she forgets."

"So, what about all these people round the edge?" Rose asked.

"They've all got tiny little chips in their head, connecting them to her and they transmit six hundred channels," He replied, "Every single fact in the Empire beams out of this place. Now that's what I call power."

"Yes, but who's fact checking?" Alice quietly asked him as Rose checked on a still awed Adam.

"No one, it's like I could tell them your name was Jane Doe and they'd have to report it as truth," The Doctor explained, "Takes the guess work out. Takes all the fun as well."

He frowned. This wasn't right, and he knew it. He had been to this year before when he was just starting out on his adventures. Everything had been as he described it, but now it was completely different. This was all wrong. Alice grasped onto his hand and he calmed a little.

"This technology, it's amazing," Adam stated, getting the two's attention.

"This technology's wrong," The Doctor corrected him.

"You have a knack for finding trouble," Alice stated in slight amusement.

"It's why you love me," He cheekily replied.

"Nice to know that there's trouble," Rose quipped.

Suki suddenly jumped as though she had been shocked. The others removed their hands as well and the beam gave a pulse before fading. Cathica blinked and sat up with a frown. The sudden stop of the information had left her with a small headache.

"Come off it, Suki. I wasn't even halfway. What was that for?" She questioned the confused brunette.

"Sorry," Suki apologized, "It must've been a glitch."

Cathica gave a groan at that as she stood up from the chair. Her head was slowly clearing from the information that had been going through her head. She looked towards the group that had come in to survey the process and noticed that they were watching, except for the young man, with serious expressions. She wasn't able to give it much thought when a wall lit up. She gave a grin. That could only mean one thing.

"Promotion," The Computer announced.

"Come on. This is it. Come on. Oh God, make it me. Come on, say my name, say my name, say my name," Cathica pleaded under her breath.

"Promotion for Suki Macrae Cantrell. Please proceed to Floor five hundred," The screen flashed alongside the announcement.

"I don't believe it. Floor five hundred," Suki gasped in amazement.

"How the hell did you manage that? I'm above you," Cathica pointed out.

"I don't know," Suki admitted, "I just applied on the off chance and they've said yes."

"That's so not fair. I've been applying to Floor five hundred for three years," Cathica stated.

She crossed her arms across her chest and frowned slightly. Suki had headed towards a panel on the way and placed an order for her bags to be brought out. Alice had copied Cathica's posture. It was highly unusual that an underling would be promoted to management like this, even she had to climb the ladder at Scotland Yard. Her eyes narrowed. There was something very wrong going on in this station.

"What's Floor five hundred?" Rose asked.

"The walls are made of gold," Alice and the Doctor responded in unison.

"I doubt that," Rose stated while she had a face at the two.

Alice smiled in agreement and they all headed after a grinning Suki and slightly sulky Cathica. Suki gave Cathica a hug and the woman sighed before returning it. It was a sweet sight. Rose smiled at the two, she hoped that their wouldn't be any hard feelings between the two.

"Cathica, I'm going to miss you," Suki told her before turning to the Doctor, "Floor five hundred, thank you."

"I didn't do anything," The Doctor stated.

"Well, you're my lucky charm," Suki told him, holding her arms up in a hug gesture.

"All right. I'll hug anyone," He stated with a smile as he gave her a hug.

"Come on, it's not that bad," Rose told a slightly green Adam.

"It really isn't, could be much worse," Alice stated, remembering Cassandra.

"The head thing?" Adam questioned the two.

"Yeah, well, she's closed it now!" Rose pointed out.

"Yeah, but. It's everything. It freaks me out. And I just need to," Adam stated before giving a small sigh, "If I could just cool down. Sort of acclimatize."

"How do you mean?" Rose questioned him as the Doctor was released from Suki's hug.

"Maybe I could just go and sit on the observation deck. Would that be all right? Soak it in, you know. Pretend I'm a citizen of the year two hundred thousand," Adam suggested.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Rose asked him, Suki had gotten her arms around a smiling Alice.

"No, no, you stick with the Doctor and Alice. You'd rather be with them," Adam pointed out, " It's going to take a better man than me to get between you three. Anyway, I'll be on the deck."

"Here you go," Rose dug into her pocket before pulling out her key to the Tardis, "Take the Tardis key. You know, just in case it gets a bit too much."

"Yeah, like it's not weird in there," Adam stated before accepting the key and walking off.

Rose frowned at that before she too was brought into a Suki hug. She chuckled and hugged the brunette back as she looked at her two companions. Alice had an amused smile on her face as she looked up at a smiling Doctor. She was released by the brunette and she headed over to the two.

"Oh, my God, I've got to go. I can't keep them waiting. I'm sorry. Say goodbye to Steve for me. Bye!" Suki told the two as she walked into the lift.

"Good riddance," Cathica muttered.

"You're talking like you'll never see her again. She's only going upstairs," The Doctor pointed out.

"We won't," Cathica stated, "Once you go to Floor five hundred you never come back."

"Have you ever been up there?" Alice asked.

"I can't. You need a key for the lift, and you only get a key with promotion," Cathica answered her, "No one gets to five hundred except for the chosen few."

Alice and the Doctor shared a look at that. That hadn't sounded right. He gained a slight frown. He really didn't like how things had changed. Cathica stood up straight and stared at the three. The brunette had finished the drink in her hand and had

"Look, they only give us twenty minutes maintenance," Cathica informed them, "Can't you give it a rest?"

"Have you ever been to the other floors?" Alice asked, the Doctor decided at that point that he wanted to sit on the broadcasting chair.

"I went to floor sixteen when I first arrived. That's medical," Cathica explained, "That's when I got my head done, and then I came straight here. Satellite Five, you work, eat and sleep on the same floor. That's it, that's all. You're not management, are you."

"At last. She's clever," The Doctor grinned.

"Be nice, spaceman," Alice warned him, she rather liked the nickname now that she thought about it.

"Yeah, well, whatever it is, don't involve me," Cathica stated as Rose stifled her giggles at the Doctors surprised face, "I don't know anything."

"My god woman, you're a journalist you are supposed to question things and learn the facts," Alice pointed out, "It'd be like me not investigating a murder and not finding who'd done it."

"Why's all the crew human?" The Doctor asked, all the women looked to him and he held his hands up in defense.

"What's that got to do with anything?" Cathica incredulously asked.

"There's no aliens on board," The Doctor pointed out, ignoring the looks of amusement that passed on Rose and Alice's faces, "Why?"

"I don't know. No real reason," Cathica stated, "They're not banned or anything."

"Then where are they?" He asked.

"He's got a good point," Alice muttered.

"I suppose immigration's tightened up. It's had to, what with all the threats," Cathica told them.

"What threats?" The Doctor asked.

"I don't know all of them. Usual stuff. And the price of space warp doubled so that kept the visitors away," Cathica attempted to explain, "Oh, and the government on Chavic Five's collapsed, so that lot stopped coming, you see. Just lots of little reasons, that's all."

"It adds up to one great big reason and you never noticed," Alice stated.

"I think if there was any kind of conspiracy, Satellite Five would have seen it. We see everything," Cathica haughtily replied.

"I can see better," The Doctor stated as a frown started to form on Alice's face, "This society's the wrong shape, even the technology."

"It's cutting edge," Cathica defended.

"It's backwards, there's a great big door in your head," The Doctor stated as he got up from the broadcasting chair, "You should've chucked this out years ago."

"So, what do you think's going on?" Rose asked the two.

"It feels stunted," Alice muttered.

"It's not just this space station, it's the whole attitude. It's the way people think. The great and bountiful Human Empire's stunted," The Doctor agreed as he looked towards Cathica, "Something's holding it back."

"And how would you know?" Cathica questioned.

The Doctor headed out of the room and everyone followed after him. Alice held a serious expression on her face and discreetly looked at all the cameras that seemed to be following the group. Someone was watching them. She just didn't know who. It was bothering her for some reason.

"Trust me, humanity's been set back about ninety years. When did Satellite Five start broadcasting?" He asked as he stopped in front of a pair of double doors.

"Ninety one years ago," Cathica answered.

"There it is," Alice muttered as she watched the Doctor worked with the doors.

"We are so going to get in trouble. You're not allowed to touch the mainframe. You're going to get told off," Cathica warmed them.

"Alice, Rose, tell her to button it," The Doctor told them.

"Cathica, haven't you noticed just how hot it is in here?" Alice asked getting the woman's attention, "There's something not right about that. Isn't there?"

Cathica remained quiet as she thought about the brunettes words. It was something that she had thought about when she first started working, but it had been quickly replaced by busy days. The doors finally opened and the Doctor began to pull on different wires. The grin on his face showed that he was having far too much fun making things go haywire.

"Have you tried the blue wire yet?" Alice asked as she leaned against the cupboard door.

The Doctor stepped out of the wires as he gave her an amused look. She gave him a raised brow as he ducked back into the wires and went back to pulling wires and moving them to a different outlet. He pulled on a blue one and moved it to where a green outlet had been. She couldn't help but marvel at how relaxing this was to her now, then again she supposed she was used to these kinds of things. She placed her hands into the pockets of her dress and made a mental note to not wear a dress while off of Earth.

"This is nothing to do with me. I'm going back to work." Cathica informed them.

"Go on, then. See you!" The Doctor cheerfully called from inside the cupboard.

"I can't just leave you, can I!" Cathica ground out.

"If you want to be useful, get them to turn the heating down. It's boiling. What's wrong with this place? Can't they do something about it?" Rose questioned pointing out the fact that it was far too hot.

"I don't know. We keep asking. Something to do with the turbine," Cathica shrugged.

"Turbine has nothing to do with it," Alice stated, "It's more likely a computer issue or the plumbing."

"Look at these two, asking the right questions and giving educated guesses," The Doctor complimented the two women.

Rose and Alice shared a small smile at that before turning back to the task at hand. They were beginning to wonder if he felt the temperature at all. He wasn't phased by the heat, yet the two women were covered in a small sheen of sweat. Both were annoyed by it.

"Why is it so hot?" The Doctor asked again.

"A couple of minutes ago you're worried about the Empire and the next it's the central heating!" Cathica pointed out.

"You get used to him," Alice and Rose stated in unison with a shrug.

"Well, never underestimate plumbing. Plumbing's very important," The Doctor stated, he pulled a monitor forward and showed them, "Here we go. Satellite Five, pipes and plumbing. Look at the layout."

"There's something wrong with it," Alice stated, "Everything that has to do with ventilation is forcing it all down."

"All the way from the top," The Doctor nodded.

"From floor five hundred," Rose added.

"Something up there is generating tons and tons of heat," The Doctor stated.

"Well, I don't know about you two, but I feel like I'm missing out on a party," Rose quipped, "it's all going on upstairs. Fancy a trip?"

"You can't. You need a key," Cathica stated.

"Keys are just codes, and I've got the codes right here. Here we go. Override two one five point nine," The Doctor stated as the computer began to show the combination.

It gave them the code: 215.9976/31. Alice quickly committed it to her memory as the Doctor easily memorized it. Cathica frowned at him as he climbed out of the cupboard and stood next to the tall brunette. He was joined by the blonde who was staring at the code in surprise.

"How come it's given you the code?" Cathica asked.

"Someone up there likes me," The Doctor grinned.

"We've been watched since we first stepped foot onto the station," Alice stated with a strained smile, "Apparently they finally want to meet face to face."

"Come on. Come with us," Rose offered to Cathica.

"No way." Cathica turned down.

The group of three shared a collective shrug as they headed towards the open lift. The Doctor held a hand out to Alice and she input the code into the keypad. It took the computer a few seconds to accept it.

"Bye!" The Doctor told Cathica.

"Well, don't mention my name. When you get in trouble, just don't involve me," Cathica warned them.

The doors closed after those words and Alice took her chance to lean back against the lift walls. Leave it to the Doctor to find trouble. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips and she found that she really didn't mind it.

"That's her gone. Adam's given up. Looks like it's just us," The Doctor stated.

"Yeah," Rose affirmed.

"We're a good team," Alice stated with a grin.

"The best," Rose corrected with a grin of her own.

"How could I forget," Alice replied as the doors opened.

She shivered as cold air hit the front of her. Rose let one out as well. The entire floor was covered in snow and icicles hung from the ceiling. It looked like a winter wonderland had thrown up in an episode of _Star Trek_. The Doctor looked around and his eyes narrowed. He didn't like the looks of this.

"The walls are not made of gold," He told them and they gave him a look at that, "You two should go back downstairs."

"Tough," Rose told him.

"My sentiments exactly," Alice agreed.

They all looked around the room and they found a small section that was eerily similar to the one they had observed not even an hour ago. The sound of clapping caught their attention and they turned to see a very pale man with platinum blonde hair staring at them, applauding them. He was acting as if he had never seen someone like them before. Almost as if they intrigued him.

"I started without you," The man stated as they walked towards him, " This is fascinating. Satellite Five contains every piece of information within the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire. Birth certificates, shopping habits, bank statements, but you three, you don't exist. Not a trace. No birth, no job, not the slightest kiss. How can you walk through the world and not leave a single footprint?"

Rose and Alice noticed something, or someone sitting at a main console staring blankly ahead. The shoulder length brunette hair keyed them into who it was. Rose and Alice stepped up to the brunette and attempted to get her attention.

"Suki?" Rose tried, she shook the brunettes shoulder as Alice frowned and placed her fingers against the woman's neck to find a pulse, " Suki! Hello? Can you hear me? Suki? What have you done to her?"

"She's dead," Alice quietly stated, stepping back with a sad expression on her face, "How's she still working?"

"They've all got chips in their head, and the chips keep going, like puppets," The Doctor informed them.

Alice looked towards him and he met her eyes. She felt as though they were in danger. He could feel her suspicion and worry, he could see her shoulders stiffen as she tensed. Her eyes moved towards the pale man before they narrowed.

"Oh! You're full of information. But it's only fair we get some information back, because apparently, you're no one. It's so rare not to know something. Who are you?" The man asked.

"It doesn't matter, because we're off. Nice to meet you. Come on," The Doctor told the two:

They went to head over to him, but were stopped by Suki and the man next to her. Their cold hands tightly grasped their arms and the Doctor went to go towards them but was grabbed by two corpses that had snuck up on him. He was getting Gelth flash backs.

"Tell me who you are,"The man asked.

"Since that information's keeping us alive, I'm hardly going to say, am I," The Doctor pointed out.

"Well, perhaps my Editor in Chief can convince you otherwise," The man responded.

"Who is that exactly?" Alice questioned.

"It may interest you to know that this is not the Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire," The man ignored her, "In fact, it's not actually human at all. It's merely a place where humans happen to live."

A growl sounded out from above them and everyone but the pale man jumped in surprise. Alice looked up and she bit her cheek to keep from screaming. The Doctor looked towards her in confusion at the sudden disgust and fear that had come from her. He noticed that she could see what was hanging from the ceiling.

"Yeah. Yeah, sorry. It's a place where humans are allowed to live by kind permission of my client," The man stated.

Rose let out a sound of disgust as the source of the growl came into everyone's sight. It's was a giant lump of flesh, that was similar to a uvula, that gnashed it's teeth at the group. Saliva dropped on the group as it moved around. The Doctor looked up at it with a frown.

"What is that?" Rose asked.

"You mean that thing's in charge of Satellite Five?" The Doctor questioned.

"Really though," Alice stated, "What the bloody hell is that thing?!"

That had been barely understandable due to her accent thickening in her disgust and fear.

"That thing, as you put it, is in charge of the human race," The man responded, "For almost a hundred years, mankind has been shaped and guided, his knowledge and ambition strictly controlled by it's broadcast news, edited by my superior, your master, and humanity's guiding light, the mighty Jagrafess of the Holy Hadrojassic Maxarodenfoe. I call him Max."

The corpses dragged the three towards a metal stand before clipping them into it. Alice wanted to laugh at the ridiculousness of a cop in a pair of manacles. She began to twist her hands to see if her wrists could fit through them. She didn't think it would work but she had to try. The man walked up to her and tightened the manacles around her wrist until she grimaced. He smirked and stepped back to see the group looking at him in varying degrees of dislike.

"Create a climate of fear and it's easy to keep the borders closed. It's just a matter of emphasis. The right word in the right broadcast repeated often enough can destabilize an economy, invent an enemy, change a vote," The man tried explaining.

"So all the people on Earth are like, slaves," Rose asked.

"Well, now, there's an interesting point. Is a slave a slave if he doesn't know he's enslaved?" The man asked.

"Yes," All three answered in unison.

"Oh. I was hoping for a philosophical debate. Is that all I'm going to get? Yes?" The man questioned.

"Yes," The Doctor replied.

"You're no fun," The man pouted.

"Let me out of these manacles. You'll find out how much fun I am," The Doctor threatened,

"Oh, he's tough, isn't he," The man asked Alice, who in turn turned a slight red as she glared at him, "But, come on. Isn't it a great system? You've got to admire it, just a little bit."

"You can't hide something on this scale. Somebody must have noticed," Rose pointed out.

"From time to time, someone, yes, but the computer chip system allows me to see inside their brains. I can see the smallest doubt and crush it," The man responded.

"But that's a violation of basic human rights!" Alice pointed out, "How haven't you had an uprising yet? Humans, by nature, don't like being squashed like that."

"Oh, they just carry on, living the life, strutting about downstairs and all over the surface of the Earth like they're so individual, when of course, they're not. They're just cattle. In that respect, the Jagrafess hasn't changed a thing," The man stated.

"And what about you? You're a human," Alice stated as she caught sight of Cathica, she had to make sure he didn't notice her.

"Yeah, well, simply being human doesn't pay very well," The man smirked at her.

"But you couldn't have done this all on your own," Rose pointed out, having seen Cathica as well.

"No. I represent a consortium of banks. Money prefers a long-term investment. Also, the Jagrafess needed a little hand to install himself," The man responded.

"No wonder, a creature that size. What's his life span?" The Doctor asked.

"Three thousand years," Was the answer.

"That's one hell of a metabolism generating all that heat," The Doctor stated, "That's why Satellite Five's so hot. You pump it out of the creature, channel it downstairs. Jagrafess stays cool, it stays alive. Satellite Five is one great big life support system."

"But that's why you're so dangerous. Knowledge is power, but you remain unknown. Who are you?" The man asked, he snapped his fingers and a humming filled the room.

Energy went through the metal pole and into the manacles around the groups wrists. The Doctor grimaced as Rose and Alice let out cries of pain. He struggled against the manacles. He could easily ignore this pain, the machine that Van Statten had used was far worse, but his bonded and Rose couldn't. He glared at the man who was smiling at the two women's cries of pain.

"Leave them alone. I'm the Doctor, they're Rose Tyler and Alice Smith," The Doctor stated, "We're nothing, we're just wandering."

"Tell me who you are!" The man yelled.

"He just did ya bloody bampot!" Alice replied in a yell of her own.

The Doctor looked at her in surprise and noticed that she was glaring at the man in annoyance rather than anger. The two women stopped being shocked and they slumped in relief. Sweat was going down their faces as they slowly stood up straight again. They fixed the man with a glare.

"Yes, but who do you work for? Who sent you? Who knows about us? Who exactly," The man stopped as the Jagrafess growled above him, a smirk then spread across his face, "Time Lord."

"What?" The Doctor asked, he looked at he man in surprise.

"Oh, yes. The last of the Time Lords in his traveling machine. Oh, with his little human girl from long ago, and his wife Alice Sigma," The man grinned.

"You don't know what you're talking about," The Doctor stated.

"It's time travel," The man continued, "You, my dear, are more of a puzzle than your husband."

"Someone's been telling you lies," the Doctor stated, he needed the attention away from his bonded.

"Young master Adam Mitchell?" The man asked, he snapped his fingers again.

This time instead of a shock through the manacles, a holo-monitor lit up and showed Adam sitting in a broadcasting chair. Alice closed her eyes and hung her head as Rose quietly gasped in disbelief. Alice knew that Adam was going to do something stupid, but this? This was the worst thing he could've done.

"Oh, my God. His head!" Rose stated.

"What the hell's he done? What the hell's he gone and done? They're reading his mind. He's telling them everything," The Doctor stated.

"And through him, I know everything about you. Every piece of information in his head is now mine. And you have infinite knowledge, Doctor. The Human Empire is tiny compared to what you've seen in your T.A.R.D.I. S. Tardis," The man stated.

"Well, you'll never get your hands on it. I'll die first," The Doctor informed him, he felt Alice's panic at that.

"Die all you like. I don't need you. I've got the key," The man stated.

They were forced to watch as the Tardis key began to float upwards. The Doctor made a face of disbelief before turning to look at Rose.

"You and your boyfriends!" He stated in disbelief.

"Today, we are the headlines. We can rewrite history. We could prevent mankind from ever developing," The man stated.

"And no one's going to stop you because you've bred a human race that doesn't bother to ask questions. Stupid little slaves, believing every lie. They'll just trot right into the slaughter house if they're told it's made of gold," The Doctor stated.

Alice watched as Cathica spun on her heel and walked away. She didn't think that Cathica was going to leave them in trouble. In fact she believed that Cathica was going to do something helpful. Alice turned her attention back to the man. She kept her expression even and made sure not to show that she wasn't worried anymore. It was weird, but she really didn't feel like she was in danger anymore.

"What's happening?" The man asked as the power in room one three nine failed and the key dropped back to the now groaning Adam, "Someone's disengaged the safety. Who's that?"

The image on the holo-monitor changed to show Cathica. Alice let out a small cry of victory as Rose grinned. She had a feeling that they were saved.

"Finally, she's using what she knows!" Alice stated, "The information that we've given her, she's directing the heat up here."

She had stopped shivering as warm air began to fill the room. The man was attempting to burn her mind but was stopped when the consoles exploded. Rose wriggled out of her manacles and turned to help the other two.

"The Jagrafess needs to stay cool and now it's sitting on top of a volcano," The Doctor stated as said creature began to growl at the man.

"Yes, I'm trying, sir, but I don't know how she did it. It's impossible. A member of staff with an idea," The man stated before taking Suki's now vacant seat.

Rose grabbed the Doctors sonic and she attempted to use it. She tried a couple times before groaning in frustration. She needed to get them out of danger. Alice gave her a slightly worried look.

"What do I do?" She asked.

"Flick the switch!" The Doctor told her before turning to the man, "Oi, mate, want to bank on a certainty? Massive heat in a massive body, massive bang. See you in the headlines!"

Rose let out a yell of victory as he was freed. He smiled at her as she handed him the sonic so he could free Alice. It took a few seconds and Alice was free. They headed for the broadcast and spent that time dodging chunks of falling ice. They could hear Jagrafess growling and screeching as they came upon Cathica. The Doctor snapped his fingers and the portal on Cathica's head closed. She gave them a dazed look before they helped her out of the chair and towards the lift. They made it just as the Jagrafess exploded.

The lift headed down to floor one hundred and thirty-nine. The Doctor took that time to look over the two females. Rose was smiling and talking to Cathica in a quiet voice. Alice was leaning against the lift walls with her eyes closed. He noted that everyone was pretty soaked due to the pieces of ice that was melting on their clothes. She opened her eyes before turning to smile at him. He smiled back and she turned to look at the lifts opening doors. Cathica took charge and turned to them.

"What will you guys do?" She asked them.

"We're just going to go. I hate tidying up. Too many questions. You'll manage," The Doctor told her.

"You'll have to stay and explain it. No one's going to believe me," Cathica stated.

"Oh, they might start believing a lot of things now. The human race should accelerate. All back to normal," The Doctor smiled.

"What about your friend?" Cathica asked.

"He's not my friend," The Doctor stated, he turned and looked towards Adam.

His face was serious but the two women could see the anger burning in his eyes. Alice and Rose looked towards him an wondered how bad it was going to be. Alice could feel his pure fury.

"Now, don't," Rose attempted.

"Don't toss him out into space," Alice quietly warned him, she then turned to Rose, "Adam's made a horrible mistake. This technology isn't supposed to exist for hundreds of years, it falls into the wrong hands everything can go wrong."

"I know," Rose stated, "I just didn't want him getting violent. I'm ready to smack him actually."

"I'm glad I haven't been the victim of the Tyler slap," Alice teased.

"I'm all right now. Much better. And I've got the key. Look, it's. It all worked out for the best, didn't it? You know, it's not actually my fault, because you were in charge," Adam stated.

The Doctor pushed him into the Tardis and the two women quickly followed after. Alice was the last one in and closed the door behind her as the Doctor quickly input the coordinates he wanted and the Tardis took off. She could feel an angry humming come from the Tardis and she knew that both Time Lord and Tardis were angry at Adam. She decided that angry didn't cut it, they were furious at him. Adam stated towards her and she moved away from him, she wasn't going to protect him from this fuck up. The Tardis landed and the Doctor easily pushed Adam outside.

"It's my house. I'm home! Oh, my God, I'm home! Blimey. I thought you were going to chuck me out of an airlock," Adam stated as Rose and Alice stepped out the doors and stayed close to the entrance.

"Is there something else you want to tell me?" The Doctor asked him.

"No. What do you mean?" Adam asked, Alice narrowed her eyes at the obvious lie.

"The archive of Satellite Five," The Doctor stated, picking up the answering machine, "One second of that message could've changed the world."

He didn't even look at the machine as he placed it down on the table before pointing his sonic at it. It exploded and the Doctor gave a sarcastic smile. He had made a point, and he hoped he had made a good one. He'd rather not have to do this with Rose.

"That's it, then. See you," The Doctor stated.

"How do you mean, see you?" Adam asked.

"As in goodbye," The Doctor replied.

"But what about me? You can't just go. I've got my head. I've got a chip type two. My head opens," Adam pointed out.

"What, like this?" The Doctor asked, snapping his fingers.

"Don't," Adam stated as he snapped his fingers to close the door.

A snap caused the Doctor to look back towards Alice. Adam looked at her in surprise. She had her arms across her chest and was giving him a cold look.

"The supposed genius," Alice stated, "You should've known better than to do what you did, you aren't a child. You are an adult and you will have to own up to the consequences like one."

"I think we've scared him enough," Rose told the two.

"Right," Alice nodded before heading back inside the Tardis.

"The whole of history could have changed because of you," The Doctor informed him.

"I just wanted to help," Adam stated.

"You were helping yourself," The Doctor informed him.

"And I'm sorry. I've said I'm sorry, and I am, I really am, but you can't just leave me like this," Adam pointed out.

"Yes I can. 'Cause if you show that head to anyone, they'll dissect you in seconds. You'll have to live a very quiet life. Keep out of trouble. Be average, unseen. Good luck," The Doctor stated.

"But I want to come with you," Adam told him.

"I only take the best. I've got Rose and Alice," The Doctor told him, "They know better."

He headed back into the Tardis and began to send the ship back into the vortex. He spared a glance towards an Alice who was playing with her pendant in thought. She looked towards him and gave him a tired smile. She had a feeling that everything would get better soon. She just hoped that it was really soon.

"We definitely need better dates," She informed him as Rose came back into the Tardis.

He cracked a smile at that as the Tardis took off through the time vortex. At least she could still make him smile.


	9. Chapter 9

**Oh hey look, an original chapter before Fathers Day. Hopefully this came out okay, it kind of took on a life of its own at some point.**

Chapter 9 _The Weeping Woman_

"So, where are we going now?" Alice asked as she walked into the main room, a slight frown on her face, she felt as though something was going to happen, she just didn't know what.

She was buttoning up a rather thick winter coat and the Doctor looked towards the center console in amusement. He hadn't even informed Rose that she might want to wear winter gear, and yet the Tardis happily helped Alice out. She even settled for an all black ensemble. Rose eyed the clothing in confusion before it dawned on her. She headed to the back rooms and into the closet. She needed warm clothing.

"A planet called Woman Wept," The Doctor replied, "You'll love it."

Alice smiled at him and placed her hands into her pockets. She had remembered her bag and was glad she did. As much as she loved the pockets of the clothes that the Tardis provided she really did enjoy her bag. Her steps were noisy because of the heels of the boots she was wearing. She had been in the snow and cold once. She knew that one wanted to dress warmly.

"This good?" Rose asked coming back.

She had grabbed a heavy purple coat, brown boots, and a pink knitted cap. She got a smile and thumb up from Alice and the Doctor smiled at the two. He brought the Tardis out of the time vortex and left it above the planet. The two women looked up at him in confusion. He grinned at them and they cautiously peeked out the door. Their eyes widened in amazement of the planet slowly rotating below them.

"It's shaped like a crying woman," Rose stated.

"Woman wept," Alice muttered, "Fitting name."

Her eyes easily looked at the shape of the main landmass. It was shaped like a woman who was curled up crying. The continent was colored a pure white and above it were dark grey clouds that swirled in a chaotic pattern. There was a part of the clouds that lit up to be a dark purple before fading back to the dark grey.

"It's the yearly storm on the Southern Hemisphere," The Doctor informed them as he came to stand behind them, "It's mainly a static storm so it shouldn't cause too many problems."

"Will we be able to make snow men?" Alice questioned.

"Oh, I haven't made one of those in years," Rose chuckled.

"I haven't either, last one I made was when I was ten," Alice smiled sadly.

Rose looked at her in confusion as the Doctor laid a hand on her shoulder. He knew exactly what that meant. She reached up and placed her hand over his. Her hands were oddly warm for once and he gave her shoulder a squeeze before removing his hand. He moved back to the console so that he could properly land.

"What happened when you were ten?" Rose gently asked.

"I lost my parents," Alice admitted, "Killed by a man who wanted my mum's jewelry. It was very Batman in origin, even happened on Christmas. We had spent the whole day having fun and spending time as a family. It took one person to ruin that."

"Would you change it if you could?" Rose asked.

"No," Alice admitted, "God knows I thought about it, but I'm happy with the person I became."

Rose smiled softly at that. They closed the Tardis doors at the sight of movement and a thankful wheeze sounded from the ship. Alice smiled up at the center console before moving towards one of the pillars and giving it a gentle pat. It was something the Doctor sometimes did when he was thinking. The Tardis hummed in approval at her actions as the brunette removed the pendant from under her clothes. The Tardis jutted to a stop as the Doctor neatly landed the ship. He caught sight of the pendant and frowned at it, it was glowing a bright gold. The Tardis gave him a sad wheeze and he decided that he was going to make Alice as happy as he could. He knew exactly what caused that kind of glow. As soon as she looked down at it, it stopped glowing.

"My turn?" Alice asked Rose.

Rose grinned and the brunette opened the Tardis doors once again. Snow flurried into the Tardis as she stepped out into a light snow storm. Rose followed after her and her eyes lit up at the sight of the dark brown hair of her best friend covered in soft white flakes. The Doctor followed after the two women and he laughed as the two slipped on a hidden patch of ice. Rose glared at him as Alice let out a bit of laughter as he walked up to them. He held out a hand and helped Rose up first. The blonde grumbled at him as she walked away from the ice.

"That was great," Alice chuckled, "I'll be feeling it later though."

"I don't doubt that," The Doctor smiled.

He held out his hand and she accepted. He smiled at the slightly cold hands as he helped pull her to her feet. She brushed her backside off before smiling up at him. He offered his arm and she grinned at him. Hopefully this would be one of their better dates, though the feeling that something was going to happen wouldn't leave her. She began to wonder if it was going to be an all day issue. Rose linked arms with her as they began to travel through a frozen valley. The snow fall had gotten a bit more heavier but not enough to call for the trip to end.

"The whole planets like this," The Doctor told them, "The nearby star had been a red giant before going into a nebula and ending up a white dwarf that caused the planet to freeze."

"How's there any form of light then?" Rose asked.

"There's a second star that's farther away," The Doctor replied, "It's still close enough for this to be in the habitual zone, a few hundred thousand years this planet will be similar to Earth. Just slightly colder."

"That's amazing," Alice stated.

He smiled at that and Rose gasped as they exited the valley. The crunching under their feet had changed to a more familiar texture. The snow had mixed with sand and it caused them to trek carefully. Rose unlinked her arm and stepped onto the ice that created the frozen ocean. Waves that could easily destroy skyscrapers stood in front of the group, completely frozen. Alice gently unlinked her arm from the Doctors and walked up to one of the frozen waves. She placed a hand against the ice and smiled at how smooth the ice was.

"It's gorgeous," Alice stated.

"Yeah," Rose agreed as she moved around the waves.

The Doctor watched the two, he wasn't too worried about them. The creatures that habited the planet were peaceful. He remembered running into them, small, talking, Arctic foxes. He heard a rumbling in the distance and looked up at the sky. The clouds that were in the Southern Hemisphere we're slowly gathering over the frozen ocean. That storm shouldn't be moving towards them, not for another four months anyway.

"Alice!?" Rose called for the brunette.

The Doctor immediately jumped into action and headed towards the blonde. She was looking into a deep hole that had appeared in the ice. She had tears going down her face and he realized what had happened. Alice had fallen through a weak point in the ice. He felt for their bond and he could feel it stronger than ever. She was in pain, but she was sending him the feeling that she was going to be okay. A loud rumble above him caught his attention and he frowned.

"We need to get inside the Tardis," The Doctor stated.

"What about Alice?" Rose asked.

"She's safe down there," He replied, "That storm won't be able to reach, and I can get the Tardis under there as well."

Rose calmed down at that and brushed at the tears that had froze on her face. They rushed back to the Tardis as the storm rolled in. He knew that Alice could take care of herself, but he couldn't help but worry about her. He cared about her deeply. The two entered the Tardis as the static storm began. The Tardis wheezed in warning and he tensed. She'd be able to get in, but the storm was unnatural. He'd have to end the storm before they could leave the planet. He was pushing buttons on the console. He had to get under the ice and help Alice.

Alice was in a much different boat than she had expected to be. She was in a pile of snow that had broken her fall. She pushed her hair from her face as she climbed to her feet. She looked around in confusion and took a step forward. The slippery floor caused her to face plant. A crunching noise caught her attention and she immediately sat up. There on the floor was the orb that belonged to her pendant. The red heads voice from Vesuvius echoed in her head as she stared at it in horror. The gold dust that usually rested in the orb was floating in the air right in front of her. She made to back up but it flew towards her and slammed into the right side of her chest, causing her to hit her back on the floor.

A scream tore from her as pain bloomed in her chest. She couldn't form an intelligent thought as wave after wave of pain went through her chest. She couldn't help the screams, she tried as hard as she could. Something small and white whizzed past her and a small dart went into her neck. Her screams subsided and her eyes drifted shut as her mind shut down.

The next time she woke up she was welcomed to a sore throat and a dull throbbing pain in her chest. She placed a hand against the right side of her chest and paused when she felt something there that shouldn't be. There was a beating under her hand. Her mind began to fly through different reasons for there to be a second heart in her chest, but the only reason that stood out was the dust from her pendant. The one thing that had been given to her by her Grandmother. She couldn't help but think that her Grandmother had known something like this would happen.

She decided that she'd have to think on it more later. She needed to head back to the Tardis and the Doctor. She sat up and she blinked at the blanket that had fallen from the action. She frowned as long brown strands moved into her line of sight.

"Oh no," She hoarsely stated, "No."

She scrambled to her feet and her hearts were beating wildly in her chest as she ran to the nearest wall of ice. Her reflection was what she always saw in the mirror, but her hair was now down to her waist. She frowned at the clothing she was in. An off the shoulder knee length white dress? She hadn't changed. She was immediately on guard as she realized that someone had to have done so. She took a deep breath and calmed down so she could think logically.

She had to get out of the area she was in, and she had to get to the Tardis. She needed to ask the Doctor what was going on, if anyone would know it would be him. She looked around for something she could use as a weapon. She had a feeling that she would need it. She found an iron rod and picked it up with ease.

She walked from the little room that she had woke up in, it was decorated like a room so she couldn't fathom what else it could've been, and went down a corridor that was made of ice. The rod was held against her side in both hands as she quietly walked. Her blue eyes scanned the area as she kept an ear out for anything attempting to sneak up on her. She came across stairs that seemed to go up and she looked around before heading up them. She went all the way up and found herself in an underground garden. She blinked in confusion. Everything around her was frozen, those plants shouldn't even be growing.

"It seems you found my wedding gift," A smooth voice stated behind her.

"Excuse me?" Alice asked as she turned to face the owner of the voice, she looked down to see a small fox, "I'm already spoken for."

If it hadn't been the fox then she was prepared to look like an idiot. The fox gave her what could be considered a sly smirk: it walked up to her and weaves between her legs. She straightened up and made it so the fox couldn't see up her dress.

"You are bonded yes, but only spiritually," The fox informed her, "You have yet to bond physically, you don't smell like him at all."

Alice turned a bright red at that and squashed the urge to kick at the fox. She didn't want to hurt anybody at the moment. She was just getting annoyed at the fox and that wasn't a reason to kick moved away from the fox and fixed it an annoyed look.

"Who says these kind of things?" Alice asked, "Have you ever heard of getting to know someone first?"

"Oh that sounds so boring for a pair of Gallifreyans," The Fox stated, "Though you seem far more human than the others of your species."

"What is it you're really after?" Alice asked.

"I want a mate," The Fox stated, "And you are exactly what I'm looking for."

"Still already taken," Alice stated, "I love the Doctor, I'm not going to leave him for you."

The fox fixed her with a look as a blue box began to appear where she was. She looked around in slight confusion and amazement as the inside of the Tardis appeared before her. It became completely solid as the Tardis greeted her in an overjoyed tone. She tensed as she heard the Tardis's voice for the first time.

"Alice?" Rose's voice asked.

"Yeah?" Alice asked as she turned to face the blonde.

Rose rushed forward and embraced the brunette who clung to the blonde as she attempted to get a hold on her feelings. Rose found her fingers slightly tangled in the taller woman's longer hair. She pulled back for a few seconds and observed the woman. Her hair was longer, dark brown curls that stopped at her waist, but her face was the same. She hadn't aged, but her hair had grown? Rose couldn't help but think it was something to do with the missing orb from her pendant.

"When we couldn't find you in the hole we had to track you through the ear piece," The Doctor stated, "They left your bag there."

Rose watched as the brunette quickly walked forward and embraced the Doctor. She smiled happily at the two as he wrapped his arms around her waist in a tight hold. He kissed her head as she burrowed into his chest. They stayed like that for a few minutes before he noticed something. He could feel heart beats from her that echoed his own. He knew that he needed a private word with her later.

"The storm is still ongoing," The Doctor stated, "We need to end it before we can leave the planet,"

"I think I know who's causing it," Alice stated as she headed back out the Tardis doors.

The Doctor was right behind her. Rose smiled softly at how protective he was. She couldn't blame him, Alice falling like she had, had scared her as well. When they couldn't find her in the hole. She knew that the brunette was in trouble at that moment.

"You need to stop the storm," Alice told the fox, she frowned as her mind began to run a mile a minute, "It's not a natural storm is it? How long have you been waiting for someone to appear?"

"Long enough to be annoyed," The Fox growled, "You lot think you're so clever, but you're not. Try and figure out the storm, I welcome you to."

"It's the glowing staff," Alice stated, "It's usually the most obvious thing sometimes."

The Doctor watched a slightly dark expression pass over her face. She had made it before once and he hadn't noticed how it struck fear into those that saw it. As he watched the Fox begin to cower from it, he knew that she had created something effective to deal with people who wouldn't take her seriously. She headed towards the staff and looked at it with a calculating gaze.

"After all, you aren't a dead man walking playing a game," Alice stated, "Now he, he played a good game. I just wish it hadn't been with people's lives. Want to know how that got solved? Easy it was the cabbie, no one expects the cabbie, the people in the background."

The Doctor went to say something as she picked up the staff and broke the glowing orb on the end of it. Her face moved to a slightly emotionless mask as the Fox's ears laid against its head. She walked back to the Doctor and he noticed the way her jaw was clenched. She was furious, but keeping a hold on her temper. The sounds of the storm stopped and he looked towards the glaring fox.

"Let's go," Alice quietly told him, "I don't want to be here right now."

"Right," He murmured as he grasped onto her hand and walked back to the Tardis with her.

The doors closed behind them and Rose gave a quiet yawn. She bus the two a nice night before heading to her room for some sleep. She was oddly exhausted from the days events. The Doctor was moving around the center console making the Tardis enter the time cortex.

"How did the orb break?" He asked her.

"Knew it," She muttered, "I slipped on ice and it broke upon impact with the ground. After all it had been through it finally broke."

The Tardis hummed at her and she let out a low chuckle. She had been given an explanation and reassurance all in one. It helped to take a load off her back. She looked towards the Doctor and smiled at him in amusement as he met her eyes.

"So you're her thief?" She asked, "That makes far too much sense."

"Glad to see that you haven't changed much," He stated.

"I'm glad that I'm still me as well," Alice stated, "But the fox on the planet informed me of something."

"What was that?" He asked.

She turned a bright red before whispering it in his ear. He gained a pink tinge to his face as his pupils dilated slightly. He looked towards her and noticed that she was more flustered than anything. He knew the perfect thing to suggest.

"Do you want to create a physical bond? At least a weak one for now," He suggested.

She gave a nod and he smiled softly at her as she looked up to meet his eyes. He dipped his head down and lightly pressed his lips against hers. He felt the bond form and he knew that she felt it as well as he broke the kiss. Her face grew a brighter red and he grabbed a hold of her hand as the Tardis hummed a victory tune in their head. It almost sounded like Ode to Joy to Alice.

"I have a feeling that she was waiting for this to happen," Alice stated.

"She was," The Doctor admitted, "That pendant was keyed to you and only you, the genes of a time lord was inside it in the form of gold dust. It had already begun to change you from the moment you got it. Increased intelligence and the ability to understand technology."

"So I would've ended up like this, even back in my universe?" Alice softly questioned.

"It's possible," He admitted, "But time lords can live for hundreds of years without physically aging."

"I suppose that means I need to spend my time with you wisely," She smiled, "I'm not upset about any of this. Scared? Absolutely, but I can get through it. It'll just take some time."

He looked at her in surprise and noticed that she was attempting to push through what was happening. She was terrified about what had happened. She was no longer human, and it was something that confused her. She didn't know how to label herself anymore and he felt understanding through their bond. He didn't have to read her mind to know what had passed through it. She had understood why the Dalek had wanted to die, being one thing and suddenly changing to another thing was causing havoc on her body still. She was gripping at her arms and he could see sweat going down her face.

"Oi," She stated in surprise as he grabbed her hand and lead her down the hallways of the Tardis.

He had a room he wanted to show her. He came across a metal door and opened it. He held a hand out in an inviting manner and she walked in with a small frown on her face that slowly changed into a small smile. He knew that she'd like it. It was his room after all. It was done in the colors of dusk that had been prevalent on his planet. He walked up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"This is beautiful," Alice told him, "This your room?"

"Ours if you want it to be," He told her.

She took a few seconds to process that before she nodded her agreement to that. He smiled and pulled her into a hug. She smiled in amusement. He may have been wearing a leather jacket, and had done a few badass things, but he was a giant teddy bear in disguise. A sudden thought had hit her.

"How often do you sleep?" She asked.

"Not very, but I do sleep," He stated, "I was planning on doing that tonight."

He gave her a wink and she turned a bright red at that as she covered her face with her hands. She just had to have a dork for a husband, didn't she. A smile appeared on her face. He did help distract her from things she didn't want to think about, and she was grateful to him for that.


	10. Chapter 10

**I didn't feel worthy to write this and now I'm back after binging some Garo Studios Doctor Who videos, remembrance will always be my favorite. So I'm glad to be back. Hopefully Jodie's next season will be a lot better, I'm a huge fan of Sci-fi and I was missing that bit from the new season, I'm excited for it to see a really good female doctor. Thank you for all the positive replies, I really appreciate it.**

 **Allons-y!**

Chapter 10 _Father's Day_

The Doctor woke up to an empty bed the next day. He frowned as he sat up from the bed and pulled on a jumper. He grabbed his jacket and headed towards the main console and noticed Alice sitting on the couch talking to Rose. She looked up and gave him a smile as a greeting. He joined the two on the sofa and Alice turned to Rose.

"So, where are going next?" Alice asked.

Rose told them the story of what happened to her dad and Alice found herself feeling bad for her friend. She really did, but one couldn't change what happened. Not without serious consequences. She frowned at that and began to wonder where that line of thought had come from. The Tardis whispered in her head and she grimaced at the fact that she was slowly being given information that a Time Lady should know. Too much at one time would burn her brain so she was going to have to get used to small pieces of information appearing in her mind every so often.

"So I was thinking, could we, could we go and see my dad when he was still alive?" Rose requested.

"Where's this come from, all of a sudden?" The Doctor asked.

"All right then, if we can't, if it goes against the laws of times or something, then never mind, just leave it," Rose quickly stated.

"No, I can do anything. I'm just more worried about you," The Doctor stated, he got a dubious look from Alice at that.

"I want to see him," Rose stated.

"Your wish is my command, but be careful with what you wish for," The Doctor stated.

"Like a monkey paw or genie wish," Alice muttered.

"Exactly," The Doctor agreed as Rose gave him two dates to go to.

He began to pull levers and press buttons. The two women grabbed onto the railing as they took off on a rather bumpy flight. It didn't take long for the Tardis to land. Soon they were outside of a church and quickly walking in. Jackie stood before the altar in a beautiful dress with a smile on her face while the man across from her began to sweat nervously.

"I Peter Alan Tyler, take you, Jacqueline Angela Suzette Prentice," The Registrar started to say.

"I, Peter Alan Tyler, take you, Jacqueline Suzanne Suzette Anita," the nervous man began to say and Alice gave him a small smile of understanding.

"Oh, just carry on. It's good enough for Lady Di," Jackie stated, the Doctor laughed at that.

"I thought he'd be taller," Rose whispered to Alice.

"He is tall, compared to your mum," Alice whispered back as the two finished their vows.

They snuck out before the two noticed the group and headed back to the Tardis. They were greeted with a happy wheeze as Rose gave a final date that she wanted to visit.

"What exactly happened on November seventh, nineteen ninety-eight?" Alice asked as the Doctor put the time in and everything began to shake.

"It was the day my father died," Rose quietly replied.

"Oh, sorry," Alice softly apologized.

They parked between a telephone junction box and a road sign by a park railing. The group walked out to see a rather empty road. Rose looked around in slight shock and grief. It was almost like she couldn't believe what she was seeing. Alice couldn't help but notice that it was a rather nice day out.

"It's so weird. The day my father died," Rose started, "I thought it'd be all sort of grim and stormy. It's just an ordinary day."

"The past is another country," The Doctor stated as he checked his watch, "nineteen eighty-sevens just the Isle of Wight. Are you sure about this?"

"Yeah," Rose stated as she began to lead them to the destination, "this is it. Jordan Road. He was late. He'd been to get a wedding present, a vase. Mum always said that stupid vase."

A green van bounded round the corner and parked at a curb. Rose began to choke up at the sight of it. Alice gently grabbed her hand and Rose accepted the comfort.

"He got out of his car," Rose continued, "And crossed the road. Oh my God. This is it."

Pete got out of his van and grabbed a vase from the passenger seat. The Doctor rested a hand on Rose's shoulder as she drew in a shaky breath. A beige car took the corner sharply and ran right into Pete. The driver shielded his face with his arms and kept on going. The vase shattered against the asphalt and Pete attempted to move.

"Go to him, quick," The Doctor quietly urged Rose.

"It's too late now. By the time the ambulance got there, he was dead," Rose stated. "He can't die on his own. Can I try again?"

They headed back to the Tardis and the Doctor reluctantly went back a few moments before. He parked a short walk from the road and they headed back out. Alice was eying Rose in curiosity and slight worry. They were too close to crossing timelines and that wasn't a good thing to do in quick succession. It was safe when time had passed, like if the Doctor went back to one of his previous regenerations he could safely do so due to time having passed. She shook herself from her thoughts and they looked around a corner of the building to see themselves.

"So that's what my hair looks like," Alice muttered, "I think I need a slight trim."

"Right, that's the first us. It's a very bad idea, two sets of us being here at the same time," The Doctor stated, "Just be careful they don't see us. Wait till she runs off and he follows, then go to your dad."

"Oh my God. This is it." The previous Rose stated.

"I can't do this," Rose stated.

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to, but this is the last time we can be here," The Doctor warned her.

Rose ran forward and passed their earlier selves to push Pete out of the way of the car. The Doctor watched with wide eyes as their previous selves vanished. He never wanted to see Alice vanish like that. He looked towards the brunette next to him and saw her sigh deeply. She was conflicted between anger and understanding. They headed towards Rose as she and Pete stood up. They came in towards the end of the conversation.

"Is that Sarah Clarke's wedding?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, are you going?" Pete questioned.

"Yeah," Rose smiled.

"You and your friends need a lift?" Pete asked.

The group of four entered the Tyler flat and Pete looked at them in slight confusion. Two of them seemed upset about something and he wondered if it had something to do with him. He shook that thought from his head, it didn't seem likely. He hadn't really done anything except almost be killed by a car.

"Right, there we go. Sorry about the mess," Pete started to ramble, "If you want a cup of tea, the kitchens just down there, milk's in the fridge. Well, it would be, wouldn't it? Where else would you put the milk? Mind you, there's always the window sill outside. I always thought if someone invented a window sill with special compartments, you know, one for milk, one for yogurt, make a lot of money out of that. Sell it to students and things. I should write that down. Anyway, never mind that, excuse me for a minute. Got to go and change."

He headed off down a small hallway and headed into a small room. He closed the door and Rose began to look around with a curious glint in her eyes. She had grown up in the same flat, but it seemed so different from the one that she knew. It had a feeling of being lived in by two people who were so opposite that it was surprising that they even got together.

"This is the stuff mum kept, his stuff, she kept it all packed away in boxes in the cupboard. She used to show me when she'd had a bit to drink," Rose stated as she looked at the trophies and tonics lying on a table, "Here it is, on display. Right where it should be. Third prize at the bowling. First two got to go to Didcot. Health drinks. Tonics, mum used to call them. He made his money selling this Vitex stuff. He had all sorts of jobs. He was so clever. Solar power. Mum said he was going to do this. Now he can."

She caught the expression that the Doctor was wearing. Alice was giving her a look of disbelief that kept her anger veiled. She scratched the back of her neck in an uncomfortable way. She didn't know what was bothering them exactly but she had a feeling. It wasn't a good feeling either.

"Okay, look I'll tell him you're not my boyfriend," Rose stated.

"When we met, I said travel with me in space. You said no. Then I said time machine," The Doctor pointed out.

"It wasn't some big plan," Rose defended, "I just saw it happening and I thought, I can stop it."

"I did it again. I picked another stupid ape. I should've known. It's not about showing you the universe. It never is. It's about the universe doing something for you," The Doctor stated in a cold tone.

"So it's okay when you go to other times, and you save people's lives, but not when it's me saving my dad," Rose pointed out.

"I know what I'm doing, you don't. Two sets of us being there made that a vulnerable point," The Doctor explained.

"But he's alive!" She stated.

"My entire planet died. My whole family. Do you think it never occurred to me to go back and save them?" He asked, his voice cracking a little.

"But it's not like I've changed history. Not much. I mean he's never going to be a world leader. He's not going to start World War Three or anything," Rose pointed out.

"Rose," Alice started, the two looked towards her, "I get it, I really do, but there's a man walking around that wasn't before. If you had done this the first time we were here then things might be different. You've created a paradox by allowing the first set of us to see you."

"What?" Rose asked.

"That Paradox can either be really small or astronomical," Alice stated, "You've messed up and there's no way to tell how big this time. Excuse me for a few seconds."

Alice left the flat and Rose stared at her in disbelief. She thought that Alice might be on her side due to her parents. She leaned against the wall and noticed the Doctor staring at the flat door. He turned back to her and held his hand out.

"Tardis key," The Doctor stated, "I gave you a fair warning."

"All right then," Rose stated as she dug the key out and placed it in his hand.

"You've got what you wanted, so that's goodbye, then," The Doctor stated as he headed towards the flat door and opened it.

"You'll be back in a minute, or you'll hang around outside the Tardis waiting for me. And I'll make you wait a long time!" Rose stated as he slammed the door behind him.

He sighed outside and noticed that Alice hadn't gotten too far as she walked down the street and towards the Tardis. He quickened his pace and joined her. She looked up at him and gave him a strained smile. He quirked a brow and it quickly fell.

"Is leaving her here the right thing to do?" Alice asked him.

"It's what she deserves," The Doctor grumbled.

"Then why did you bring Adam back to his time?" She asked.

He didn't answer her as they walked up the Tardis and he opened the door. What greeted the two was the inside of an empty telephone box. Alice walked up to the box and placed a hand against the side. It was the same coarseness of a regular wooden box; she couldn't feel the power that seemed to radiate from the Tardis. She let out a shaky breath and the Doctor turned to her.

"We need to find Rose," Alice stated, "This has gotten bigger than I originally thought. I think we need to head to St. Pauls' Church."

"Right," The Doctor nodded his agreement.

He held out his hand and she quickly accepted it. They began to run towards the church and when they rounded a corner onto the street where Pete was supposed to pass on a familiar beige car drove down the street before vanishing. They shared a look at that and Alice tilted her head in slight confusion. She didn't really know what was going on. She took a guess.

"Is that a time loop?" She quietly asked.

"Yeah," The Doctor nodded, "We need to hurry."

They continued on their way when the oddest thing happened. Alice's phone began ringing from the pocket of the black hoodie she was wearing. She pulled it out and frowned at the number. She answered it and held it to her ear.

"Hello?" She asked.

"Watson, come here. I need you," A male voice stated on the other end.

"Doctor, listen to this," Alice stated as she held it to him.

He listened for a few seconds before giving a grim grin. He hung up and tossed it back to her. She fumbled with it for a few seconds before sending him an unamused look. He gave her a cheeky wink and she placed her phone back into her pocket as they continued onwards to the church. They made it just as a smaller Mickey ran past them, yelling about monsters.

"Monsters! Going to eat us!" The Little Boy yelled.

The bonded pair came up the rear and Rose looked at them in confusion. She looked towards Mickey and Alice began to motion towards the church. She wasn't making sense at the moment. She straightened up and rolled her eyes.

"Get in the church!" The Doctor yelled.

"Seriously people, get in the church!" Alice began to order.

A large creature with bat-like wings appeared in the sky and hissed at the group of people. Alice and the Doctor began to eye it in slight discomfort as it hovered above the group of people that were standing outside the church. The bride had grabbed onto Alice and she started to move towards the church. A few of the people from the inside began to filter out and Alice shook her head in disbelief.

"Get in the church!" The Doctor ordered.

"Oh, my God. What are they? What are they?" The Bride asked Alice.

"I don't know, but we need to get inside," Alice informed her as she tried to figure out a way around the creature.

"Sarah!" The Groom called and he started to move towards her.

"Stay in there!" The Doctor ordered.

The groom backed up into the church with a slightly scared expression on his face. Even Alice looked a little disconcerted by the fact that the Doctor raised his voice. He was usually so calm and hardly raised it. She knew that meant that something was seriously wrong. They were all in danger from this paradox and she was terrified as to what could happen. Aliens she can fight against, a tear in time? She was a cop not a physicist, even if she did know basic physics. A middle aged man broke off from the groom and tried to run away. One of the creatures pounced on him and completely covered him from everyone's eyes.

"C'mon, everyone to the church," Alice ordered, her tone left no room for argument.

The Bride's group followed after the brunette and a creature swooped down towards them and headed towards Alice, it gave a hiss as it bounced away from her. They continued in and eventually slammed the doors to the church shut. One of the creatures flew into the doors, but couldn't get in. Alice let out a sigh of relief and moved away from the door and the bride backed away.

"Who're you then?" The bride asked.

"Alice," Alice thought for a few seconds, "Alice Sigma, sorry to impose on your wedding, you look lovely by the way."

"Sarah Clark," The bride smiled softly at that and her cheeks gained a light pink hue to them, "Who was that with you? Your best mate?"

"Husband, I may not wear a ring," Alice gave a cheeky smile.

"There's a surprising age gap there," Sarah replied.

Alice gave a light laugh at that and nodded slightly. She looked towards the Doctor and smiled softly at him. She wasn't bothered by the physical age gap. He noticed and gave her a small smile in response before turning to the crowd hiding in the church.

"They can't get in. Old windows and doors," he stated. "Okay. The older something is, the stronger it is. What else? Go and check the other doors! Move!"

The one and only Jackie Tyler stepped up to him and gave him a frown. Alice hid a smile at the fact that the woman had a mother's glare down already, and rose was just a baby. She wondered if all mum's gained that look upon a child being born. It was amazing that the Doctor moved back just a smidge, she couldn't' help but laugh quietly at the memory of him being smacked.

"What's happening? What are they?" Jackie asked him and he seemed to ignore her before she asked him once again, "What are they?"

"There's been an accident in time. A wound in time. They're like bacteria, taking advantage," The Doctor explained.

"What do you mean, time? What're you jabbering on about, time?" Jackie asked.

"Oh, I might've known you'd argue. Jackie, I'm sick of you complaining," The Doctor informed her.

"How do you know my name?" Jackie questioned.

"I haven't got time for this," The Doctor attempted to push past her but she stepped in front and stared him down.

"I've never met you in my life!" She informed him as Alice quietly excused herself from Sarah and went to help him.

"No, and you never will unless I sort this out. Now, if you don't mind, I've waited a long time to say this. Jackie Tyler, do as I say," He stated, "Go and check the doors."

"Yes, sir," She quietly conceded and headed off to do so.

"I should have done that ages ago," The Doctor informed Alice.

"She would've smacked you," She informed him with a small smile before it turned to a serious expression, "How do you heal a wound in time?"

"I don't know, the other time lords always made sure to regulate these kinds of things so this wouldn't happen," He replied as he gave a shrug, "Those creatures are here because of the wound."

"My dad was out there," The Groom stated as he walked up to the two.

"You can mourn him later. Right now we've got to concentrate on keeping ourselves alive," The doctor stated.

"Sorry about him," Alice apologized; she had the feeling she was going to be doing that for the rest of her life, "Please continue."

"My Dad had this mobile phone thing. I can't get it to work. I keep getting this voice," He handed it to Alice and she held it up to her ear.

"Watson, come here. I need you. Watson, come here. I need you," Alice heard.

She handed it to the Doctor; she didn't know what it was and wasn't going to act like she did. He listened to it with the smallest of smiles. It was the same one he wore earlier when he heard it. He hung up the phone.

"That's the very first phone call. Alexander Graham Bell," The Doctor explained, "I don't think the telephone's going to be much use."

"But someone must have called the police," The Groom offered.

"Police can't help you now. No one can. Nothing in this universe can harm those things," The Doctor continued, "Time's been damaged and they've come to sterilize the wound, by consuming everything inside."

"Is this because?" Rose quietly began, "Is this my fault?"

Alice didn't give her a response and turned on her heel to examine the lower levels. No one followed her. She moved chairs out of her way and scanned the stone with her sonic wand. It was old, but was it old enough to keep them safe until the Doctor finished coming up with a plan. She felt her anger rise and she brought a fist back and punched a wall a couple of times. She was furious with Rose, but at the same time sympathetic as to why she did what she did. If Rose could prove that she learnt from what happened then she would forgive the blonde. She punched the wall one last time, this time being the one that bloodied up her knuckles.

She let out a soft hiss at that and headed back towards the main hall of the church. She moved towards a bench next to a window and looked outside. The parasites were scuttling around the building in an attempt to get in and she frowned as one came near her side of the window and let out a pained hiss. She wondered if it didn't like her for some reason. Pete wondered towards the window as well and noted all the smoke rising from different parts of the city.

"There's smoke coming up from the city but no sirens. I don't think it's just us. I think these things are all over the place. Maybe the whole world," Pete stated.

"That's a possibility," Alice confirmed as a beige car appeared at the corner and drove down the street before disappearing.

"Was that a car?" Pete asked her.

"Don't worry about it, it's not important at the moment," Alice told him.

He replied with a small hum and walked off to have a small chat with Rose. Alice sat back on the bench and looked at the wood surrounding the windows; it was starting to splinter with how old it was. She gently ran a hand across the surface of the wood and looked at it in slight comfort. It was one of the few things that was keeping them safe, and she was thankful for that. She quietly mused to herself; she hadn't been in a church since her days in primary school. She didn't miss it in the slightest, but she did have a soft spot for old architect. The Doctor took a spot on the bench and pulled a curtain away from the window and gave a scan with his screwdriver.

"Excuse me, Mister," The Groom walked up to him with Sarah.

"Doctor," The Doctor informed him.

"You two seem to know what's going on," The Groom mentioned.

"We give that impression, yeah," The Doctor shrugged.

"I just wanted to ask," The Groom started but seemed to lose his nerve at the last second.

"Can you save us?" Sarah asked for him.

"Who are you two, then?" The Doctor asked them.

"Stuart Hoskins," The Groom introduced.

"Sarah Clark," Sarah introduced.

"And one extra," The Doctor noted as Alice finally noticed as well, "Boy or girl?"

"I don't know," Sarah stated as she rubbed the hidden baby bump, "I don't want to know, really."

"How did all this get started?" The Doctor questioned.

"Outside the Beatbox Club, two in the morning," Stuart replied.

"Street corner. I'd lost my purse, didn't have money for a taxi," Sarah smiled as she grasped onto Stuarts hand.

"I took her home," Stuart continued.

"Then what? Asked her for a date?" The Doctor asked as he smiled at the two.

"Wrote his number on the back of my hand," Sarah added.

"Never got rid of her since. My dad said, well never mind what he said," Stuart stated.

"That was sweet," Alice smiled softly at the two and Sarah smiled back.

"I don't know what this is all about, and I know we're not important," Sarah stated as she turned back to the Doctor.

"Who said you're not important? I've travelled to all sorts of places, done things you couldn't even imagine, but you two," The Doctor told them, "Street corner, two in the morning, getting a taxi home. I've never had a life like that. Yes. I'll try and save you."

Alice watched as the two moved towards a bench away from the windows and sat down together. The Doctor sat down next to her on the bench and she looked up at a stained glass window and smiled in slight remembrance. He was studying what his scans had unveiled before noting the amused and melancholy feelings that Alice was projecting. He looked up and noted the expression on her face.

"I haven't been in a church since primary school, Gran was a very devout Christian," Alice admitted, "She would've loved this building."

"She sounds interesting," The Doctor commented.

"She would've liked you," Alice told him, "She was eccentric and absolutely adored the idea of traveling through space. She was a trooper and lived through both world wars."

"She lived to be over a hundred?" He asked in surprise.

"Yeah, it sometimes felt like every time she got sick she would tell death to piss off and come another day," Alice stated, "She may have been a religious lady, but she could curse with the best of them."

"You must miss her," He stated.

"Sometimes," She replied, "Mainly when I get stuck in a rut, she used to pull my ear and send me to do errands for her to get out of it."

The Doctor went to reply when a very small Mickey came over and pulled on Alice's sleeve. She looked at him and smiled softly.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Alice asked.

"Are you two going to get rid of the monsters?" Mickey asked her.

"We'll try sweetheart," She replied before gently poking his nose, "You try and stay calm and be a strong little man for me, all right?"

Mickey let out a small giggle before nodding. He jumped slightly when a hand made itself known on his shoulder. Jackie gave him an apologetic smile as she held onto the carrier holding a baby Rose. She shuffled her feet slightly.

"Would you mind looking after Rose for a while?" Jackie asked Alice, "The bridesmaids asked for my help to check on some of the doors deeper in the church."

"Yeah, no problem," Alice nodded, "I'm surprised you asked me to watch her."

"Something about you makes me trust you," Jackie admitted, "Don't know what, thank you."

Jackie placed the carrier between Alice and the Doctor before walking off with Mickey. Alice looked into the carrier and the baby gave her a look. She leaned back from the expression and wondered if the baby knew something was seriously wrong. The Doctor looked in as well and the baby turned her expression to him and he joined Alice in her slight surprise.

"She is a very unhappy baby," Alice stated, "A right little miss."

"Babies are a strange phenomenon," He stated, "They can sense when something is wrong."

"Have you ever been a father?" She asked, at his surprised look she rolled her eyes slightly, "Oh come on, hundreds of years old and you haven't started a family? I would be genuinely surprised, Doctor."

"I did have," He admitted.

"I'm sorry," She quietly stated as she gently laid a hand on his arm.

Baby Rose let out a happy gurgle at the sound and Alice sent her a small smile. Even as a baby she still wanted to see the two of them together. She felt her anger flare up at the fact that this was her fault. She had a feeling that Rose felt bad as well, but would she even learn? She didn't know if the Doctor would allow the blonde to continue traveling with them.

"Now, Rose you're not going to bring about the end of the world, are you? Are you?" The Doctor asked Baby Rose.

"I don't think she like's being patronized," Alice stated as Rose walked up to them, "Jackie gave her to me to look after."

"I'd be careful. I think I just imprinted myself on Mickey like a mother chicken," Rose warned the two as she leaned to look at her smaller self.

"No. Don't touch the baby. You're both the same person. That's a paradox, and we don't want another paradox happening, not with these things outside," The Doctor warned her, "Anything new, any disturbance in time makes them stronger. The paradox might let them in."

"Can't do anything right, can I?" Rose asked with a small sigh.

"Since you ask, no," The Doctor and Alice had said that no in unison and the Doctor continued his sentence, "So, don't touch the baby."

"I'm not stupid," Rose stated.

"You could've fooled me," Alice stated, she then made a face at her words and gave a heavy sigh, "Sorry, I'm just upset at you right now."

"You shouldn't be, this entire situation is my fault," Rose stated as she plopped down next to Alice, "I should've had the courage to go to him the first time, not the second."

"We both went too far," Alice confirmed, "Lesson's learned?"

"I think so," Rose nodded, "What can we do to fix this?"

"Between the three of us, I haven't got a plan," The Doctor butted in, "No idea. No way out."

"We can think of something," Alice told him, "Oddly enough we need to remain somewhat optimistic during this."

"What sort of expression is that?" Rose asked as Alice made a face.

"If you had met me back in my days on the field you would know how weird it is for those words to be coming out of my mouth," Alice stated with a small grin, "We really do need to stay positive."

"The entire Earth's been sterilized," The Doctor stated, "This, and other places like it, are all that's left of the human race. We might hold out for a while, but nothing can stop those creatures. They'll get through in the end. The walls aren't that old. And there's nothing I can do to stop them. There used to be laws stopping this kind of thing from happening. My people would have stopped this. But they're all gone. And now I'm going the same way."

"If I had known," Rose started, "I never would've done it."

"Just tell me you're sorry," The Doctor stated.

"I am. I'm sorry," The three shared a hug, Alice was still a bit mad at Rose, but knew that the blonde had learned a lesson from this, she would have to work to get her trust back.

She let out a sound of surprise and pulled something warm out of her pocket. She dropped it as it turned scalding. She removed her hoodie, placing her phone into her back pocket. She knelt down and picked up her Tardis key. It was glowing white from the heat that was generating from it.

"It's the Tardis key!" The Doctor exclaimed, "That means we're still connected to the Tardis."

"Well come on, let's go share the good news," Alice grinned towards the Doctor.

They moved towards the pulpit and people looked towards the group in surprise it was the happiest anyone was at the moment. Alice was holding onto the baby carrier and baby Rose was gurgling happily before being given back to Jackie. They all took a stand behind the Doctor as he held up the key.

"The inside of my ship was thrown out of the wound but we can use this to bring it back. And once I've got my ship back, then I can mend everything," The Doctor told everyone, "Now, I just need a bit of power. Has anybody got a battery?"

Stuart looked around for a few seconds and thought about the mobile phone that his father had. He started to look around for it since he knew that it had a rather large battery in it. He lifted up a jacket that was resting on the chair in front of him and there it was. He picked it up and took out the battery.

"This one big enough?" Stuart asked as he held it up.

"Fantastic!" The Doctor told him.

"Good old dad. There you go," Stuart handed him the battery and the Doctor started to fiddle with it.

"Just need to do a bit of charging up and then we can bring everyone back," The Doctor stated as he pressed his sonic screw driver to the key and battery.

It took a few minutes until he lifted the key into the air and it stuck. The sounds of the Tardis filled the church and Alice grinned as the blue box began to slowly form. A few mutters rose up from the pews. Jackie looked at the outline of the Tardis with wide eyes. Rose was in her arms and cooing softly.

"Right, no one touches that key. Have you got that? Don't touch it. Anyone touches that key, it'll be, well, zap," The Doctor ordered everyone as he handed Alice back her hoodie, he was surprised no one had mentioned her Offspring tank top, "Just leave it be and everything will be fine. We'll get out of here. All of us. Stuart, Sarah you're going to get married, just like I said."

Everyone took a breather on the pews and the Doctor watched the progress on the Tardis as Alice put her hoodie back on. Rose sat next to her and let out a soft sigh. She had talked to her Father and he knew, he knew that he wasn't supposed to be alive anymore. She had hoped that he wouldn't figure it out. She looked down at her shoes and felt the guilt rise up in her, she had really messed up. She just hoped that she was allowed to continue traveling with the two. She enjoyed the adventure that was traveling in the Tardis; she knew better than to cause any more problems. She needed to be careful around her smaller self.

"What happens when time gets sorted out?" Rose asked the two.

"Everybody here forgets what happened. And don't worry the thing that you changed will stay changed," The Doctor told her.

"You mean I'll still be alive, though I'm meant to be dead. That's why I haven't done anything with my life, why I didn't mean anything," Pete stated.

"It doesn't work like that," Alice told him.

"Rubbish. I'm so useless I couldn't even die properly. Now it's my fault all of this has happened," Pete stated, Alice frowned at that.

"This is my fault," Rose stated.

"No, love. I'm your dad. It's my job for it to be my fault," Pete stated.

"Before you jump to conclusions, Mrs. Tyler," Alice stopped the slightly older blonde woman from speaking, "Have you not noticed that we are waiting for a ship that is materializing out of thin air? She looks like you, doesn't she; she even has your attitude."

"What are you talking about?" Jackie asked her.

"Oh, for God's sake, look. It's the same Rose!" Pete grabbed the baby Rose and went to hand her to her older self.

"Wait, don't," Rose began to tell him, "I can't touch her without creating another paradox."

Pete wasn't able to stop in time and as soon as baby Rose touched older Rose one of the creatures appeared in the middle of the church. Alice was glad that Rose had learned her lesson, but it had to come at the cost of human life. She was finding it hard to hold it against the blonde , now that she thought about it even more. The creature hissed loudly and looked around at the screaming crowd. It moved towards Alice and she glared up at it.

"You can't kill me, can you?" She asked as it bounced away from her.

"Everyone behind us," The Doctor stated as Alice stood next to him while glaring next at the creature, "I'm the oldest thing in here, and she's from another dimension, unaffected by the wound."

"Nice to know," Alice muttered as the Doctor pushed the group back and allowed himself to be pounced on by the creature.

Alice almost dropped to her knees when she felt him disappear. She was used to the bond and its sudden disappearance was causing her some distress. She pulled herself together and watched as the creature flew back and touched the Tardis. It vanished as did the Tardis. Alice walked up to the key and picked it up. It was cold to the touch.

Rose watched as her friend backed up until she was sitting in one of the pews. Her head was in her hands and Sarah told people to just leave her alone. Rose moved towards her and wrapped her arms around the ex-investigator. Alice let out a sniff and she noticed tears slowly rolling down her face. Alice wasn't a pretty crier, and Rose could relate to that.

"I'm so sorry, this is all my fault," Rose stated, "He's gone all because of me."

"The Doctor really cared about you. He didn't want you to go through it again, not if there was another way," Pete stated, "Now there isn't."

"What are you talking about?" Rose asked.

"The car, the one that was supposed to have hit him," Alice stated, her voice husky, "The reason behind the paradox, there's only one way to fix it."

"But you can't," Rose told him as tears began to well in her eyes.

"Who am I, love?" Pete asked her.

"My daddy," She responded as Jackie walked up to them.

"Jackie, look at her. She's ours," Pete told Jackie.

Jackie swept Rose into a hug as it finally dawned on her. Pete looked at the woman who had been crying but was now standing tall. It was something he knew his cop friend did. He always hid what he felt from others, but the moment he was alone he let the tears fall. Jackie released Rose and gave Alice a hug as well; her motherly instincts were kicking in around the two women.

"I'm meant to be dead, Jackie," Pete stated as Jackie let Alice go, "You're going to get rid of me at last."

"Don't you say that," Jackie told him.

"For once in your life, trust me. It's got be done. You've got to survive, because you've got to bring up our daughter," Pete told her before giving her a loving kiss, he broke it before turning to Rose, "I never read you those bedtime stories. I never took you on those picnics. I was never there for you."

"You would have been," Rose told him.

"But I can do this for you. I can be a proper dad to you now," He stated.

"But it's not fair," Rose cried.

"I've had all these extra hours. No one else in the world has ever had that. And on top of that, I got to see you. And you're beautiful. How lucky am I, eh? So, come on, do as your dad says. You going to be there for me, love?" He asked, she gave him a small nod, "Thanks for saving me."

"It was nice to meet you, Mr. Tyler," Alice quietly told him.

"Likewise, take good care of my Rose for me," Pete told her, "She may have messed up, but she's learned a lesson."

"We will, sir," Alice told him.

Rose handed him the vase and he nodded. He bravely marched out of the church and the two young women walked to the doors to be there for him. He had made it outside of the church gate and looked towards the sky. A creature had spotted him and he took off in a sprint towards the street corner where the car was going to appear. It did. The vase shattered on the ground as Pete dropped. Rose let out a sniff.

"Go to him," Alice told her, a male voice had mixed with hers.

Rose nodded and sprinted towards her father as Alice turned to see a slightly relieved Doctor. He didn't get to say anything when arms wrapped around his neck and Alice dragged him down for a kiss. She broke it and he smiled down at her. She kept her hands on his face and simply enjoyed the feeling of the bond making itself known again.

"What'd you do to your hands?" The Doctor asked her.

"Oh, I punched a wall," Alice shrugged, "Don't worry about it, we should go get Rose and swan off before someone asks questions."

He nodded and the two went over to Rose. She was giving Pete a kiss on the forehead and stood up as they walked up. The three quickly headed back to the street that they had parked the Tardis and they all breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of the magnificent blue box. They all entered the Tardis and she let out a loud wheeze of relief and welcome. The Tardis knew that a rift had been brought between the two females that had occurred, but she knew that it would heal with time. Rose headed towards her room and the Doctor let her go without a fight as he plotted some points on the Tardis's navigational computer.

"What happened while I was gone?" The Doctor asked Alice as she removed her hoodie.

"Pete asked us to look after Rose, and give her another chance," Alice admitted, "He was a brave man."

"Are you all right?" He asked her as the Tardis gave a low groan and headed into a vortex.

"I've gotten used to feeling your presence that it was unnerving," Alice admitted, "If it's all the same to you, I'd rather not feel that again."

"Likewise," The Doctor nodded, he moved forward and pressed a kiss to her temple.

He rested his hands against her cheeks and she placed her hands against his. He noted that her knuckles were healing and he moved a hand and pointed it out to her.

"That'll take some use getting to it," Alice muttered.

He chuckled at that and the Tardis joined him in that. Alice sent the main console a look before smiling at it. He released her face as she placed a hand against the walls of the Tardis and she got a hum in response. The Tardis said something to the Doctor and Alice gave a light laugh at her words. He gave a small pout in her direction.

"She's not wrong," Alice chuckled, "People are highly judgmental."

"A ring of all things," The Doctor stated, "How domestic can you get?"

Alice let out a laugh that showed she wasn't the least bit upset with his words. The Tardis let out another sound at the Doctor and Alice couldn't help but bite her lip in amusement at the fact that he was getting chewed out by his ship. She wasn't lying when she said she didn't care, she knew what they were and was happy about it. Not her fault that mankind is highly judgmental. Alice headed towards her room while shaking her head in amusement. The Tardis always knew how to cheer her up.


	11. Chapter 11

**I might not do two parts put together again, I get a little lost when writing two parts in one chapter. We'll see though.**

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Chapter 11 _The Empty Child that caused the Doctor to Dance_

* * *

Alice was pulling her hair out of the back of her shirt as she headed into the main console room. The Doctor was already tinkering at the controls and she chuckled quietly at the sight of something glinting on his finger. He looked up and she mentioned to his hand. It seemed as if the Tardis had gotten to the two of them in the middle of the night; leave it to the old girl to go through with her threats. Alice couldn't say anything since she had a metal band glinting on her finger as well.

"She get you as well?" Alice asked.

"Yeah, can't even take it off," The Doctor stated as he pouted slightly.

The Tardis wheezed at him, much like a chiding mother and Alice snickered at his expression as she moved to put her jacket on. The Doctor noted the old military bomber jacket that looked like it would fit in the early 1940's. She had to pair it with a t-shirt with the Scottish flag on it. He was actually amused that she still had those sand colored converse. She looked at one of the monitors as Rose walked in with a union jack shirt on. The Doctor noticed some movement on a monitor and turned it to face him. A small, beaten looking spacecraft had passed by the Tardis and he pulled a lever and began to pursue it. His passengers jolted in surprise as a deep purple color started flashing from the console.

"What's the emergency?" Rose asked from her spot on the console.

"It's mauve," The Doctor informed her.

"Mauve?" Alice gruffly questioned as she held her side from where she had slammed into the railing.  
"The universally recognized colour for danger," The Doctor replied.

"What happened to red?" Rose asked.

"I think that's just a human thing," Alice shrugged, "I bet that made a few misunderstandings."

"It's got a very basic flight computer. I've hacked in, connected the Tardis. Where it goes, we go," The Doctor told them.

"And that's safe, is it?" Rose questioned.

"Totally," He replied.

The Tardis banged into something and the two girls were upheaved from their feet and they glared at him as he righted the ship. Alice sent him as she brushed her black pants off. The Tardis was humming innocently and she knew that she was enjoying this. Rose grumbled quietly as she held onto the railing.. The Doctor made a face and smiled at the two.

"Okay, reasonably, I should have said reasonably there," He stated before noticing something on a monitor, "No, no, no, no! It's jumping time tracks, getting away from us."

"What even is this thing, and why are we chasing it?" Alice questioned as he moved around her and to the console and began to pull at levers and push buttons.

"I have no idea but it's mauve and dangerous, and about thirty seconds from the center of London," He replied as he pulled a red lever.

They landed and the three exited out of the ship. Alice gave a shudder at the sudden damp cold against her face and wondered how the Doctor could stand it. She figured he must be really good at ignoring the differences in temperature. She pulled her jacket around her and looked around the back alley they landed in and questioned the buildings. She hadn't heard of such cramped housing existing for around thirty to twenty years. It went out of style due to the rising population and the bombing that had happened during the two world wars.

"Do you know how long you can knock around space without happening to bump into Earth?" The Doctor asked.

"What, five days?" Alice asked.

"Or is it only when we're out of milk?" Rose added.

"Of all the species in all the Universe and it has to come out of a cow," He muttered giving the smallest of shivers, "Must have come down somewhere quite close, within a mile, anyway, and it can't have been more than a few weeks ago. Maybe a month."

"A month? We were right behind it," Rose pointed out.

"It was jumping around the time tracks," Alice explained as she rubbed the back of her neck as she thought about it even more the theory confused her just a little but she could understand the basics of it, "I suppose that meant that we were bound to be a little bit behind."

"Yeah. How much is a little?" Rose asked.

"A bit," He replied, looking at the buildings around them.

"Is that exactly a bit?" Alice teased as she motioned towards the buildings.

"Ish," He smiled, bumping shoulders with her eliciting a small laugh out of her.

"What's the plan, then? Are you going to do a scan for alien tech or something?" Rose asked as they began to walk down the alleyway.

"He's never done it before," Alice stated as she shoved her hands into the pockets of her jacket, "Part of the fun is figuring it out the hard way, I guess. It did hit in the middle of London, so unless we landed during the London raids, I think we're safe to ask around."

"Good point," Rose stated, "Not very Spock though."

"Not really, he's more like Kirk," Alice chuckled slightly before making a face, "I really hope I didn't just jinx us."

Rose grinned at that as they came upon a door marked _Deliveries Only._ The faint sound of jazz music and people chattering came from behind it and the Doctor began to unlock the door with his screwdriver. Rose noted something and elbowed Alice gaining her attention and motioning towards his hand. Alice chuckled quietly and mouthed 'Tardis' to her. She made a face of understanding and joined her in her quiet laughter. The Tardis bullied the Doctor to wear a wedding band and the two girls were having a small laugh at his expense of being forced to be a little domestic.

"Door, music, people, what do you think?" He asked with a raise of his brow, he didn't want to know what those two were giggling about.

"I think you should do a scan for alien tech, give me some Spock, for once," Rose told him as she raised a brow at him, "Would it kill you?"

"It might," Alice quietly joked, "You never really know."

He rolled his eyes at that and opened the door causing the sound to grow louder to the point where they could make out some of the lyrics of the song. Alice gave him an apologetic smile and he found himself forgiving her, then again she was in the same boat as him. He looked at the two's shirts and quietly questioned them. Those weren't the right shirts to be wearing in this time. Those two could cause more of a stir than he did during the nineteen twenties, what a time that was to party. All the speakeasies and gatherings of the rich, he made a mental note to take Alice to a nineteen twenties party one of these days. She'd enjoy it quite a bit. He returned to his thoughts about the shirts before turning towards the two girls.

"Are you two sure about those t-shirts?" He asked, motioning at the flags across the shirts.

"Of course I am, got to show my Scottish pride sometime don't I?" Alice grinned at him before heading through the doorway.

"Too early to say. I'm taking it out for a spin," Rose joked before hearing something and spinning around to see what it was.

It sounded like it was a small child calling for someone. The Doctor had been too preoccupied with talking about shirts to have heard it. Rose looked back and surveyed the area. The alley was empty save for the rubbish bins and the puddles from a recent rain that was causing a slight fog to rise around them. It was empty and she didn't like the fact that she couldn't find what had cried out. It never meant anything good and it unnerved her. The Doctor moved towards the doorway and looked back at her.

"Come on if you're coming. It won't take a minute," He told her as he rested his hand against the door frame.

"I'll be a few seconds," Rose told him.

He headed inside and followed a waiter through a dark hallway and entered a room through a bead curtain. He noticed that Alice was already looking around and had stopped to survey the room of people from the bar area. The bartender quietly asked if she wanted a drink and she ordered a small glass of whiskey. He filled a small glass from a small bottle before handing it to her. She sipped at the drink as she watched the woman on the stage sing with the band. The song was a classical jazz song and Alice looked around for anything that would tell what time they had landed in. She left the bar and walked behind the tables. She came across a poster for the Second World War and made a face. She jinxed them, she just had to go and bloody jinx them. She polished off her whiskey and put the glass down as she played with the band on her ring finger. She traded a pendant for a ring; she couldn't help but wonder if her aunt would've had a laugh at that. She gave a sad smile at that, she probably would've. She then made a face, someone better be taking care of her cat now that she's gone. The song ended and a murmur broke out amongst the crowd. She turned to see that the Doctor had jumped on stage.

"Excuse me. Excuse me," The Doctor announced, "Could I have everybody's attention just for a mo?"

"Ahhh, he'll figure it out soon enough," Alice murmured as a waiter came by and refilled her glass she picked it up and toasted him with a small smile, "Thank you."

"I'll be very quick. Hello! Might seem like a stupid question, but has anything fallen from the sky recently?" The Doctor asked, he was met by silence that quickly melded into laughter and he looked around in confusion as the laughter grew, "Sorry, have I said something funny? It's just, there's this thing that I need to find. Would've fallen from the sky a couple of days ago."

The siren for an air-raid began to sound and Alice whistled to the Doctor as the patrons got up and gathered their coats before leaving. He looked up to her and she hitched a thumb behind her to point at the poster. He let out a quiet _oh._ He jumped down from the stage and walked towards her. She offered her glass and he accepted with a small shrug. He finished it within seconds and coughed at the strong alcohol, how she could easily polish a glass of strong alcohol off he would never figure out.

"So, where's Rose?" Alice asked as he put the glass down on a nearby table, "Did she not come in?"

"No, she said she'd be a few," He replied with a frown.

They headed back to the alley and looked around for the missing blonde. The Doctor gave a deep sigh as he realized that another one of his companions wandered off on him. One would think he would've been used to it at this point since every single one of his companions always wandered off at least once. A cat meowed and he stopped walking to pick it up and scratched it behind the ears. His fondness for cats was showing as the cats purring brought a small smile to his face.

"You know, one day, just one day, maybe, I'm going to meet someone who gets the whole don't wander off thing.," He informed the cat as it let out a chirp in response, "Nine hundred years of phone box travel, it's the only thing left to surprise me."

The Tardis phone began to ring and he looked towards it as Alice stopped in her tracks of searching the alley. The two slowly looked towards the other and they shared a confused look. Alice walked forward and opened the panel that hid the retro phone. It continued ringing as she looked up at the Tardis and rested a hand against the blue wood.

"How can you be ringing old girl?" Alice asked, turning to the Doctor again, "do I answer it?'

"Don't answer it. It's not for you," A female voice answered her.

Alice jumped at the girl's appearance. A girl with dark brown hair pulled into twin braids was standing there staring at them. She was dressed in the correct period clothes and was staring at the two of them with a serious expression mixed with warning on her face. She hadn't been there a minute ago. She turned her eyes to the telephone as it let out another cheery ring. She watched the little silver bell jiggle with each ring.

"And how do you know that?" The Doctor asked the girl.

"'Cos I do," The girl replied, "And I'm telling you, don't answer it."

"Well, if you know so much, tell me this. How can it be ringing? It's not even a real phone. It's not connected, it's not," The Doctor continued before noticing that the girl was gone.

Alice answered the phone and awkwardly held the tiny ear piece to her ear. She listened to the static on the other end. It was almost completely silent, but she could hear soft breathing. It sounded like someone was breathing through a gas mask of sorts. She frowned slightly when no one spoke first. She then made a face and decided to go first, no need to beat around the bush.

"Hello?" She asked, "This is Alice, can I help you?"

"Mummy? Mummy?" A child's voice sounded on the other end.

"I'm sorry? There's no mummy's here," Alice gently stated.

"Are you my mummy?" The Child asked.

"No, sorry," Alice responded, "How did you ring this phone? It isn't even a real phone."

"Mummy?" The Child questioned one last time before a dial tone sounded.

She hung up the phone and turned towards the Doctor. He gave her a look that showed that he didn't know either. She closed the panel and laid a hand on the Tardis. She listened to what the ship had to say and frowned slightly. If Rose wasn't inside the ship, where was she then?

"Rose isn't in the Tardis," Alice informed the Doctor, "Where could she possibly be?"

"I don't know," He truthfully answered, "It's been a while since it was just the two of us?"

"You trying to get rid of me?" Alice grinned.

"I wouldn't dream of it," He laughed they heard a noise and headed towards it and they ended up in front of some garbage tins, "Need a lift?"

Alice rolled her eyes and easily stepped onto of the garbage tins to look over the brick wall. A family was causing a fuss as they headed to the bomb shelter in their backyard. Alice held back her laughter as the husband yelled up at the Germans about not eating. She stepped down from the garbage tins and started laughing. The Doctor jumped down and headed towards the gate. He pulled out his sonic and began to work on the lock.

"He does have a point," Alice chuckled, "do they eat?"

"I suppose they do, most likely after the air-raid," The Doctor answered with a small grin.

Alice heard a sound and turned to see some children running down the street. She tapped the Doctor's arm and motioned towards the children running at the house. He stopped and watched as child after child went into the house. He finished with the gate lock and headed in through the back door. The sounds of chatter could be heard from the dining room and they snuck into the room and he took a seat at the table. Alice took a spot behind him and leaned on his shoulders. He didn't mind since she made sure not to dig her elbows into his shoulders. He pushed her long hair back as it brushed past his ear and his cheeks. It was pleasantly soft to the touch.

"It's got to be black market. You couldn't get all this on coupons," An older boy stated.

"Ernie, how many times? We are guests in this house," the girl stated, "We will not make comments of that kind, now wash up."

"Yes, Nancy," The Boy complied with a fond tone.

"Haven't seen you at one of these before," Nancy commented to a small boy as she carved a turkey.

"He told me about it," The boy confirmed as he nodded at his slightly older friend, Nancy eyed his red hat and he slowly took it off and placed it in his lap.

"Sleeping rough?" Nancy asked him.

"Yes, miss," The boy politely replied.

"All right, then," Nancy stated, as she began to pass around a platter covered in the turkey she carved, "One slice each and I want to see everyone chewing properly."

"Thank you, miss," Each child thanked as they grabbed a slice of turkey and headed the plate down until it reached the Doctor.

"Thanks miss!" The Doctor grinned.

He immediately caused a fuss with his words and Alice shook her head at that. She fixed him with a look and gently pulled on his left ear. He let out a gentle _ow_ and looked towards her with a small pout. She looked around at the children and sighed as she thought of a way to stop them. She got lucky with that one toddler back at the Powell estate. She wasn't as good with children as people seemed to think she was, she was good with dealing with panicking people. Children were just basically miniature adults, right?

"Calm down," Alice gently stated above the panicking children, "Honestly love, you didn't need to scare them."

"Believe me it wasn't my intention," He grimaced before smiling around the table, "Who's got the salt?"

A four year old girl handed him the salt and he gave her a quiet thanks. He gently shook the salt shaker and gave some form of seasoning to the rather bland turkey. He placed it back in the middle of the table and the children looked at him in disbelief. Alice shook her head at his antics and rested her forehead against the top of his head.

"Back in your seats," Nancy told the children, "They shouldn't be here either."

"So, you lot, what's the story?" The Doctor asked.

"What do you mean?" The first boy asked.

"You're homeless, right?" The Doctor asked, "Living rough?"

"Why do you want to know that?" A different boy asked, "Are you a copper?"

"Of course I'm not a copper. What's a copper going to do with you lot anyway? Arrest you for starving?" The Doctor questioned as the children laughed, "I make it to 1941. You lot shouldn't even be in London. You should've been evacuated to the country by now."

"I was evacuated, they sent me to a farm," A boy confirmed.

"So why'd you come back?" Alice asked.

"There was a man there," A boy replied.

"Yeah, same with Ernie. Two homes ago," Another boy stated.

"Shut up. It's better on the streets anyway. It's better food," Ernie stated.

"Yeah. Nancy always gets the best food for us," A boy stated.

"So, that's what you do, is it, Nancy?" The Doctor stated.

Alice took a bit off food off of his plate and he smiled slightly as Nancy looked at the two in confusion. People were usually panicking during air raids, but these two were calm. They were far too calm; she'd never seen such an odd couple. Even the way the woman dressed, like a man, was far too strange for them to be from here.

"What is?" Nancy asked.

"As soon as the sirens go, you find a big fat family meal still warm on the table with everyone down in the air raid shelter and bingo!" The Doctor stated, "Feeding frenzy for the homeless kids of London Town. Then it's pudding for all, as long as the bombs don't get you."

"Something wrong with that?" Nancy asked in a defensive tone.

"It's brilliant, it's like a mixture of Marxism and a West End musical," Alice informed her.

"Why'd you two follow me? What do you lot want?" Nancy questioned.

"I want to know how a phone that isn't a phone gets a phone call. You seem to be the one to ask," The Doctor informed her as the potatoes made their way to him.

"I did you a favour. I told you not to answer it, that's all I'm telling you," Nancy told him.

"Great, thanks. And I want to find a blonde in a Union Jack. I mean a specific one. I didn't just wake up this morning with a craving," he stated to reply of giggling children, "Has anyone seen a girl like that?"

Nancy gave him a look at that and Alice rolled her eyes at him. She took a piece of food off his plate. Nancy handed down the salad and the children all took a small bit of it. The two females shared a small smile at that and Alice accepted the bowl from a small girl who shyly handed it to her. She put a spoonful on the Doctors plate and he looked at her in slight disbelief as she passed it down.

"Sorry, no blondes, no flags. Anything else before you leave?" Nancy asked the two.

"Yeah, there is actually. Thanks for asking. Something I've been looking for," The Doctor stated as Alice took out her small notebook and drew a picture of the space ship they had been following and then handed it to the Doctor, "Would've fallen from the sky about a month ago, but not a bomb. Not the usual kind, anyway. Wouldn't have exploded. Probably would have just buried itself in the ground somewhere, and it would have looked something like this."

He held it up to show the table. The children didn't even get the chance to answer when a knock sounded. A hush filled the room and Alice moved so the Doctor could get up to look out the window. She moved towards the window as well and looked outside. A small blonde child with a gas mask stood at the door. It looked over at her and tilted its head and she almost made a face at that.

"Mummy? Are you in there, mummy?" The Child asked.

"Who was the last one in?" Nancy asked.

"They were," Ernie stated.

"We came in through the back door, who was the last in the front?" Alice asked.

"Me," The new boy piped up.

"Did you close the door?" Nancy questioned, the boy began to stutter for an answer and Nancy began to panic, "Did you close the door?"

"Mummy? Mummy? Mummy?" The child outside called.

There was a flurry of motion as the children quickly pulled on their jackets. The children stayed put in the posh dining room as Nancy ran out of the room to do something. The Doctor looked towards Alice and noted that she was still looking out the window. She pulled back from the white drapes and moved towards him as he walked towards the door.

"What's this, then?" The Doctor asked as he motioned towards the door, "It's never easy being the only child left out in the cold, you know."

"I suppose you'd know," Nancy retorted.

"I do actually, yes," He admitted.

"It's not exactly a child," Nancy told him before she went to get the other children out of the posh house.

"Not exactly a child? Any clue what she meant by that?" Alice asked him.

"None, but there's always room to find out," He stated as he knelt by the door.

"Mummy? Mummy? Please let me in, mummy. Please let me in, mummy," The child softly called, it pushed its hand through the letter box.

It had a scar on the back of its hand and Alice quietly took note of it. She was finding it weird that the child kept calling for its mummy in the way that it was. It was calling for her as if it didn't know who its mum was. Why didn't the child know who's its mum was?

"I don't think it knows who's its mum is," Alice muttered.

"Why's that?" The Doctor asked her.

"A child that calls for its mum usually knows who they are, but they asked me 'are you' meaning they don't know," Alice worked out.

The child withdrew its hand and the Doctor stood up from his crouch and looked towards her. Nancy walked into the hall way with a sack in her hands and was pulling it onto her back. She looked towards the two and noted that they had moved back from the door.

"Don't let him touch you," Nancy warned them, "He'll make you like him."

"What happens if he touches me?" The Doctor asked.

"He'll make you like him," Nancy replied.

"And what's he like?" Alice asked.

"I've got to go," Nancy stated, but was stopped by a hand on her arm she turned to see Alice standing there.

"Nancy, what is he like?" Alice tried again.

"He's empty." She replied before the phone began to ring, "It's him. He can make phones ring. He can. Just like with that police box you saw."

Alice released Nancy's arm and Nancy headed off as the Doctor picked up the phone. He listened for a few seconds before hanging up. It was quiet before a crash sounded and a toy monkey began to beat the cymbals in its hands together. Alice jumped at that and almost reached for a weapon.

"Mummy?" The monkey called, "Mummy? Let me in please, mummy. Please let me in."

"Your mummy isn't here," The Doctor gently stated, the child put his hand through the mail slot again.

"Are you my mummy?" The child asked.

"No mummies here. Nobody here but us chickens," The Doctor joked.

"Oi," Alice stated.

"I'm scared," The child told them.

"Why are those other children frightened of you?" He asked.

"Please let me in, mummy. I'm scared of the bombs," The child truly did sound scared.

"Okay. I'm opening the door now," The Doctor told the child.

The little hand was pulled back and the Doctor unbolted the front door. He opened and the little boy was gone. It was as if the child hadn't been standing there in the first place. Alice scratched the back of her neck and the Doctor made a face.

"Smart lad he is," Alice stated, "How fast can a little kid be?"

"C'mon, let's go find Nancy," The Doctor stated.

They headed out the front door and down the street. Alice was just following him at this point. She didn't really know how he could track someone down. It must be his nose; it's the right size for it. They headed down a back alley and passed through a puddle. They ended up at a shack next to a rail way and they found Nancy kneeling down. She turned around and jumped slightly at the sight of them.

"How'd you follow me?" She asked.

"I'm good at following, I got the nose for it," The Doctor stated.

"People can't usually follow me if I don't want them to," She told him.

"My nose has special powers," He replied.

"Yeah? That's why it's," Nancy cut herself off with a small grin and Alice joined her.

"What?" He asked.

"Nothing," Nancy replied.

"His ears have powers as well," Alice teased.

"What are you lot trying to say?" The Doctor questioned, Nancy and Alice were both chuckling at his reaction.

"Goodnight," Nancy told them.

"Nancy, there's something chasing you and the other kids. Looks like a boy and it isn't a boy, and it started about a month ago, right?" The Doctor asked, "The thing we're looking for, the thing that fell from the sky, that's when it landed. And you know what I'm talking about, don't you?"

"There was a bomb. A bomb that wasn't a bomb. Fell the other end of Limehouse Green Station," Nancy informed them.

"Can you take us there?" Alice asked.

"There's soldiers guarding it and the area is blocked by barbed wire," Nancy told them, "You'll never get through."

"Try us," The Doctor told her.

"You sure you want to know what's going on in there?" Nancy questioned.

"Yes, we want to know," Alice told her, "Is there something wrong?"

"Then there's someone that you need to talk to first," Nancy told them.

"And who might that be?" The Doctor asked.

"The Doctor," She replied before walking off.

"Have you been here before?" Alice quietly asked the Doctor after seeing his face.

"No, I haven't," The Doctor replied as they followed after, "it's possible that it could be a future me, a different regeneration."

Alice nodded in understanding as they headed through a maze of alley ways. They stopped a few blocks away from a well-lit, fenced up area. It was hazy due to the fog rising from the water that rested on the ground. The Doctor pulled something from his jacket and messed with a switch on the side. He held it up to his eyes and a smaller piece disconnected from the larger piece. He made a face as he turned and surveyed the area.

"The bomb's under that tarpaulin. They put the fence up overnight. See that building?" Nancy pointed out; she ended up pointing at a large building that was built like one of the gothic hospitals from the Victorian age, "The hospital."

"What about it?" The Doctor asked as he pulled his device away from his eyes.

"That's where the doctor is. You should talk to him," Nancy told them.

"For now, I'm more interested in getting in there," The Doctor motioned towards the tarp covered bomb.

"Talk to the doctor first," Nancy told him.

"Why?" Alice and the Doctor asked in unison.

"Because then maybe you won't want to get inside," Nancy replied before turning on her heel and walking away.

"Where're you going?" The Doctor called.

"There was a lot of food in that house. I've got mouths to feed. Should be safe enough now," Nancy replied.

"Who'd you lose?" Alice asked, she didn't even look at the brunette who was staring at her in shock.

"What?" Nancy asked.

"Well, you look after these kids as if you're their mother, did you lose someone you felt attached to?" Alice asked, "A family member or someone similar?"

"My little brother, Jamie, one night I went out looking for food. Same night that thing fell," Nancy replied after the shock wore off, "I told him not to follow me, I told him it was dangerous, but he just. He just didn't like being on his own."

"Was it during an air-raid?" Alice asked.

"Yes," Nancy answered.

"Amazing," The Doctor stated.

"What is?" Nancy and Alice asked.

"Nineteen forty-one. Right now, not very far from here, the German war machine is rolling up the map of Europe. Country after country, falling like dominoes. Nothing can stop it. Nothing. Until one, tiny, damp little island says no," He replied, "No. Not here. A mouse in front of a lion. You're amazing, the lot of you. Don't know what you do to Hitler, but you frighten the hell out of me. Off you go then do what you've got to do. Save the world."

Nancy gave him a look before walking away. Alice turned to the Doctor as he put his binoculars; at least she thought they were binocular, away in his jacket. She walked up to him and slipped her hand into his. He looked at her in surprise and she smiled at him as they began to head towards the ornate gates that led to the hospital. Alice took out her sonic wand and began to work the lock to the gate.  
"You're getting handy with that," He commented as she unlocked the gate.

"I have a good teacher don't I?" She asked him with a cheeky smile.

They headed into the hospital and Alice wished for a torch so she could see around the darkness. They went down a long hallway and headed up a flight of stairs. Alice peeked into a ward and frowned at the fact that it was completely full. Even during a war the hospital shouldn't be full. They'd patch the wounded and get them back into fighting condition as fast as they could. They went into a ward at the end of the hallway and it was similar to the one that Alice had looked into.

"Are all the wards full?" Alice quietly asked.

"Yes my dear," A voice answered her, "You'll find them everywhere. In every bed, in every ward. Hundreds of them."

"We noticed," Alice muttered as she held a hand to her chest and eyed the older gentleman in slight annoyance.

"Why are they still wearing gas masks?" The Doctor asked.

"They're not, who are you two?" The man asked.

"I'm," The Doctor paused as he made a slight face, "Are you the Doctor?"

"I am Doctor Constantine," The man replied, "You two?"

"I'm Alice Sigma, this is my husband," Alice replied, "Nancy sent us."

"That means you've been asking about the bomb," Constantine stated as he hovelled towards a chair and sat down.

"Yes," The Doctor confirmed.

"What do you know about it?" Constantine asked.

"Nothing, it's why I was asking," The Doctor replied, "What do you know?"

"Only what it's done," was the reply.

"Were these people caught in the blast?" Alice asked as she looked them over.

"None of them were," Constantine replied as he gave a light chuckle.

He started to cough and Alice looked at him in slight concern. The older gentleman waved off her concern before she could even place a hand on his shoulder. She moved back with an apologetic expression on her face as she moved to look over at some of the patients. She knelt down and studied the way the gas mask seemed melded into the skin of the skull. She couldn't tell if it was attached to the bone as well.  
"You're very sick," The Doctor pointed out.

"Dying, I should think. I just haven't been able to find the time. Are you a doctor?" Constantine asked.

"I have my moments," The Doctor replied with a small smile.

"Have you examined any of them yet?" Constantine asked.

"No," The Doctor replied.

"Don't touch the flesh then, on any of them," Constantine warned.

The Doctor joined Alice in observing the patients. He brought out his sonic screwdriver and began to scan them. He needed to find what their injuries were and what was causing this to happen to them. He may not be able to get the exact alien technology, but it would be a start.

"What setting do I put it on?" Alice quietly asked him.

"Twenty-five, triple A," The Doctor replied.

"Of course it is," Alice muttered as she found the right setting and performed a scan.

The two began to frown at what they were finding. The injuries that the patients were sustaining should've killed them. Her readings were showing that some form of alien tech was flowing through their bodies and keeping things changed. She put her sonic device away and put her hands into her pockets. What kind of ship could cause this to happen?

"Conclusions?" Constantine asked.

"There's massive head trauma, mostly to the left side, partial collapse of the chest cavity, mostly to the right. There's some scarring on the back of the hand and the gas mask seems to be fused to the flesh, but I can't see any burns," The Doctor catalogued.

"It's the same on this one," Alice stated, "

"This isn't possible," The Doctor stated as he examined another patient, "How can they all have the same injuries?"

"Are they all the exact same?" Alice questioned.

"Yes, all identical," Constantine nodded.

"Even the scar on the back of their hand," She noted.

"How did this happen? How did it start?" The Doctor asked.

"When that bomb dropped, there was just one victim," Constantine informed them.

"Dead?" The Doctor asked.

"At first, his injuries were truly dreadful and by the following morning, every doctor and nurse who had treated him, who had touched him, had those exact same injuries. By the morning after that, every patient in the same ward, the exact same injuries," Constantine told them, "Within a week, the entire hospital. Physical injuries as plague. Can you explain that? What would you say was the cause of death?"

"They're not dead," Alice stated, the two men turned to her, "What? Their chests are still moving. Honestly."

"Right you are," Constantine stated as he hit a wastebasket with his walking stick, all the patients sat up in their beds and the Doctor moved to pull Alice away from them, "It's all right. They're harmless. They just sort of sit there. No heartbeat, no life signs of any kind. They just don't die."

"And they've just been left here? Nobody's doing anything?" The Doctor asked.

The patients lied back down and Alice let out a sigh of relief. She was beginning to get a weird feeling from the patients. She moved away from the Doctor and took her phone out. She tried to give Rose a call and got her voice mail. She let out a quiet hiss and put her phone away, she knew better than to attempt to text while in the past.

"I try and make them comfortable. What else is there?" Constantine asked.

"Just you? You're the only one here?" The Doctor asked.

"Before this war began, I was a father and a grandfather," Constantine replied, "Now I am neither, but I'm still a doctor."

"Yeah. I know the feeling," The Doctor quietly stated and Alice sent him a sad look.

"I suspect the plan is to blow up the hospital and blame it on a German bomb," Constantine stated.

"It's most likely too late to do that now," Alice stated, "There's been isolated cases breaking out all over London, hasn't there?"

"Yes, you two listen to me," Constantine told them as he began to cough again, the two moved to see if he was all right and he held up a hand, "Don't touch me please, go to the top floor, room eight oh two. That's where they took the first victim from the crash site, you must find Nancy again."

"Nancy?" The Doctor asked.

"It was her brother. She knows more than she's saying. She won't tell me, but she might Mummy. Are you my mummy?" Constantine asked them.

Alice moved towards the Doctor as Constantine's face began to pale. His mouth opened wide and the nose of a gas mask came out of his mouth and form around his skull. Alice held a hand to her mouth and began to wonder what could possible cause that to happen. The Doctor herded her out of the ward and she let out a small shudder at the memory of what had just happened.

"Hello!" A male voice called out.

"Hello!?" Alice perked up at the sound of Rose's voice.

The Doctor shook his head as Alice took off towards the area where the blonde's voice had come from. He heard Rose give out a small squeal and he turned down a hallway to see the blonde being picked up in a bear hug by his bonded. The man next to Rose looked surprised and was raising a thick brow at the two women. He was tall with a muscular build that was balanced with a somewhat modern haircut. Alice put the blonde down and the chuckles coming from the blonde caused her to give her a look.

"Rose Tyler why was your phone off, gave me a right scare you did," Alice scolded, the only reason why Rose and the Doctor could make it out was because they got used to her accent.

"Your accent got stronger," Rose commented.

"Sorry that was my fault," The man stated as Alice turned to him to pin him with a look, "Jack Harkness, I've been hearing all about you two on the way over, you must be the lovely Alice."

He held a hand out and Alice accepted it. He lifted his hand and placed a kiss on the back of her hand. She rolled her eyes and moved towards the Doctor who was giving the man a slight glare. She gave his arm a gentle pat as Jack moved past them. Rose walked up to them and gave the Doctor an apologetic look.

"He knows. I had to tell him about us being Time Agents," Rose told them.

"And it's a real pleasure to meet you, Mister Spock," Jack stated from down the hall.

"Mister Spock?" The Doctor asked as Jack walked toward the ward they were told to go to by Constantine.

"What was I supposed to say? You don't have a name. Don't you ever get tired of Doctor? Doctor who?" Rose asked him.

"Nine centuries in, I'm coping. Where've you been? We're in the middle of a London Blitz. It's not a good time for a stroll," the Doctor stated as they headed down the hallway.

"Who's strolling? I went by barrage balloon. Only way to see an air raid," Rose told him.

"Only you, Rose," Alice stated with a shake of her head, "Only you."

"What's a Chula warship?" Rose asked the Doctor.

"Chula?" He asked.

"You'll find that all of these patients are exactly the same right down to scar on their hands," Alice informed Jack as he scanned a few patients.

"This just isn't possible, how'd this happen?" Jack asked.

"What kind of Chula ship landed here?" The Doctor asked as he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed against his chest.

"What?" Jack asked.

"He said it was some sort of warship," Rose answered, "Apparently he stole it and parked it somewhere where a bomb'll fall on it."

"Apparently?" Alice smiled, "I guess I've rubbed off on you?"

"Seems to be a good idea to remain skeptical," Rose grinned.

"What kind of warship?" The Doctor asked.

"Does it matter?" Jack asked, "It's got nothing to do with this."

"This started at the bomb site," The Doctor told him, "It has everything to do with it, so what kind of warship?"

"It was an Ambulance," Jack stated as he pressed a button on his watch and a hologram of the ship floated in the air, "This is what you chased through the time vortex, its space junk I just wanted to think it was valuable. It's empty I made sure of it before I threw it at you when I saw your ship; I love the retro look by the way, nice panels. You took the bait."

"Bait?" Alice questioned, "Are you trying to be a conman?"

"Yes actually," Jack confirmed, "That's what I am, I'm a con man. I thought you were Time Agents. You're not, are you?"

"Just a couple of freelancers," Rose replied.

"Oh. Should have known. The way you guys are blending in with the local colour. I mean, Flag Girl was bad enough, but U-Boat Captain? Scottish bomber?" Jack pointed at the Doctor and Alice before continuing, "Anyway, whatever's happening here has got nothing to do with that ship."

"Really? Then what's rewriting human DNA like an idiot?" Alice asked as she crossed her arms across her chest.

"What do you mean?" Rose asked.

"Some kind of alien technology is making normal humans just like the people in this ward," Alice replied, "I found it when the Doctor and I scanned them earlier."

The patients bolted upwards after her words and she sent them annoyed looks as she moved towards the Doctor. Rose moved towards them as well as she warily looked at the patients. Jack looked around in surprise as they all began to murmur the same questions that were sounding familiar. Alice shook her head at that and moved towards her sonic wand.

"Mummy?" The patients chanted.

"What's happening?" Rose asked the two.

"I don't know," The Doctor admitted, "Just don't let them touch you."

"What happens if they touch us?" Rose asked.

"You become like them," Alice replied as the patients lumbered out of their beds.

"Help me, mummy," The Patients cried, "Mummy. Mummy. Mummy. Mummy. Mummy. Mummy."

The patients got closer and closer to the group and they were pressed back to back to conserve space. The Doctor looked around as a sudden thought struck him. He really hopped that this worked; otherwise Alice was going to have a laugh at his last words. He stepped up towards the patients and held a stance that he used to use with his children.

"Go to your room," The Doctor ordered.

It went still in the ward and the other three shared a look. Alice was pursing her lips so she wouldn't start laughing. Rose gave her a look and slowly followed in an attempt not to laugh. Jack didn't really know what they were finding so funny, but he had to guess that the Doctor didn't usually speak like this.

"Go to your room. I mean it. I'm very, very angry with you," The Doctor stated, "I am very, very cross. Go to your room!"

The patients hung their heads in shame and began to shuffle away. They headed back into their beds and Alice began to snicker. The Doctor turned to her and she attempted to stop her snickering. She lasted about ten seconds before starting again. She turned her attention to the wood floor before looking back at him with an amused expression.

"I'm sorry, I just," Alice gave a small cough and stopped her snickering, "Those would've been some words to go out with."

"Those would've been terrible last words," The Doctor replied.

"Why are they all wearing gas masks?" Rose questioned.

"They're not," Jack replied, "Those masks are flesh and bone."

"How was your con supposed to work?" The Doctor asked him.

"Simple enough, really. Find some harmless piece of space junk, let the nearest Time Agent track it back to Earth, convince him it's valuable, name a price. When he's put fifty percent up front, oops!" Jack stated, "A German bomb falls on it, destroys it forever. He never gets to see what he's paid for, never knows he's been had. I buy him a drink with his own money, and we discuss dumb luck. The perfect self-cleaning con."

"It's perfect until something goes wrong," Alice stated.

"Oh come on! The London Blitz is great for self-cleaners. Pompeii's nice if you want to make a vacation of it though, but you've got to set your alarm for volcano day," Jack stated as he began to laugh.

Alice and the Doctor sent him twin looks of disapproval and Jack stopped. He really didn't like the slight judgment he was getting from these two. Rose was easier to talk to and didn't give him judgey little eyes. He wasn't going to lie, Alice reminded him of a cop and he had a slight dislike of authority figures.

"I'm getting a hint of disapproval," Jack stated, the Doctor decided to let Alice tear into him.

"Are you blind? Look what your harmless piece of space-junk did to these people," Alice growled at him as she held up a hand and motioned to the people in the beds, "I don't think it was as empty as you think it was, so what exactly was it?"

"It was a burnt-out medical transporter," Jack defended, "It was empty."

"Rose, Alice," The Doctor called them.

"Are we leaving?" Rose asked.

"No, we're going upstairs," He replied.

"I even programmed the flight computer so it wouldn't land on anything living. I harmed no-one. I don't know what's happening here, but believe me; I had nothing to do with it," Jack told them as they turned to leave.

"I'll tell you what's happening," The Doctor stated, "You forgot to set your alarm clock. It's volcano day."

A siren sounded as they reached the door. Rose frowned in confusion and looked towards the grey ceiling. She didn't know what that siren meant, but she did know what the air-raid one sounded like. She didn't like the fact that she learned it due to hanging from the rope of a balloon.

"What was that?" Rose questioned.

"The all clear," Jack replied.

"I wish," The Doctor muttered as he led the way upstairs.

It was quiet as they headed up and it left Jack with plenty of time to categorize the group. The Doctor was the leader, which was obvious by the way the other two followed after him, and had too much information on alien technology for him to be a regular human. Rose was the companion who was there for the ride, but wanted to help others, he liked the fact that she had a strong personality and a cute bottom. Alice was the investigator; he was beginning to see a relationship between her and the Doctor, the cop.

"Curse you and your long legs," Alice told the Doctor as they headed up the flight of stairs.

"You love them," The Doctor commented, he then turned to Jack, "have you got a blaster?"

"Yeah," Jack replied.

"The night your space-junk landed, someone was hurt. This was where they were taken," The Doctor told Jack as they ended up outside of a secure metal door.

"What happened?" Rose asked.

"Let's find out," Alice suggested, "Con-man, you're up."

"I sense some kind of enjoyment from this," Jack muttered as he pointed his blaster at the lock.

It disintegrated the lock and Alice walked in first. The Doctor followed after and looked toward Jack. Rose followed Alice and noted how the woman was gently moving the pictures that littered the room with a sad expression on her face. She picked up one that depicted a small child standing next to a woman with the words 'mummy?' scrawled across the bottom.

"Sonic blaster, fifty first century. Weapon Factories of Villengard?" The Doctor asked Jack.

"You've been to the factories?" Jack asked.

"Once," The Doctor admitted.

"Well, they gone now, destroyed. The main reactor went critical. Vaporized the lot," Jack replied as he put the blaster back in his coat.

"Like I said. Once. There's a banana grove there, now. I like bananas. Bananas are good," The Doctor smiled.

"I don't understand it either, Rose," Alice informed the blonde, "I can't say anything since I think the same of Strawberries."

"Of course you do," Rose teased.  
"Something definitely got out of here," Alice commented as she looked towards the broken observation window, "something both powerful and angry."

"A child? I suppose this explains Mummy," Jack stated as he eyed the children's possessions littering the room.

"How could a child do this?" Rose asked as the Doctor pressed a button.

"Do you know where you are?" Constantine's voice crackled in the air.

"Are you my mummy?" The boy questioned.

"Are you aware of what's around you? Can you see?" Constantine asked.

"Are you my mummy?" The boy replied.

"What do you want? Do you know," Constantine was cut off by the child.

"I want my mummy. Are you my mummy? I want my mummy! Are you my mummy? Are you my mummy? Mummy? Mummy?" The boy asked.

"Again, he sounds like he doesn't know who his mum is," Alice pointed out; she looked towards Rose for confirmation.

"Yeah, always are you my mummy? Like he doesn't know," Rose added, "Why doesn't he know?"

"Are you my mummy?" The Boy's voiced echoed.

Alice found that strange since the tape had ran out only a few seconds ago. The sound of the tape reeling around and scratching together played over the speakers. She frowned as she ran a hand through her long hair; it was weird performing her natural nervous tick with long hair. She needed to get it cut; having waist length hair was not a smart idea when running around with the Doctor.

"Can you lot sense it?" The Doctor asked them.

"Sense what?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, it's coming from the walls," Alice nodded as she felt some kind of energy coming from the walls.

"Mummy?" The boy called, and it continued to do so as the two humans ignored it.

"Funny little human brains, how do you lot get around in those things?" The Doctor asked.

"You seem to forget that I was human at one point, love," Alice quipped at him, "I'm trying my best not to be insulted here."

"Yeah, but he usually does this when he's stressed," Rose reminded her.

"Like the time he cut himself shaving, he once went two hours on different life forms that he was smarter than," Alice stated with a chuckle.

"Oi!" Came the Doctor's indignant call.

"You did ask for it," Alice gently stated with a small wink to show she was indeed teasing, "Please continue."

"Thank you," The Doctor bowed slightly, "There are these children living rough around the bomb site and they come out during the air-raids looking for food."

"One of them could've been near the area where the ship landed," Alice added onto his thoughts, "It was a medical ship, right?"

"It was a med-ship," Jack confirmed, "It was harmless."

"Yes, you keep saying harmless," The Doctor stated as he frowned in thought, "Suppose one of them was affected, altered?"

"Altered how?" Rose questioned.

"By the alien technology that's in their body," Alice replied, "It's weird whatever it is."

"I'm here," The boy stated and the Doctor's head perked up at that.

"It's afraid. Terribly afraid and powerful," The Doctor told them in a quiet voice, "It doesn't know it yet, but it will do. It's got the power of a god, and I just sent it to its room."

"And the tape ran out about thirty seconds ago," Alice quietly added and Rose paled at that.

"I'm here now," The Boy told them, "Can't you see me?"

"You sent it to its room," Alice stated, "This is its room."

They all turned towards the broken observation window and there stood the boy. He looked at their scared faced and tilted his head. The Doctor moved towards the other three and they began to slowly inch towards the door. The boy followed them with each step they took.

"Are you my mummy?" The Boy asked.

"Okay, on my signal, make for the door," Jack stated as he pulled his blaster out and aimed it at the child, he made a face when he realized he was holding a banana and the Doctor had his blaster and made a hole in the wall.

"Go now!" The Doctor ordered, "And don't drop the banana!"

"Why not?!" Jack asked.

"It's a good source of potassium!" Alice and the Doctor stated in unison.

They went through the square, Alice was amused at the fact that Jack had it made to make squares of all things, hole in the wall and the boy watched them. Alice looked back and noticed that the boy was heading their way. Jack noticed as well. He knew exactly what he needed to do.

"Give me that!" He snapped at the Doctor as he grabbed his blaster back and put the part of the wall back.

"Nice switch," Alice complimented.

"Digital rewind, best upgrade they had," Jack grinned at her, "Why the banana?"

"It's from the groves of Villengard," the Doctor replied with a grin, "I thought it was appropriate."

"There's really a banana grove in the heard of Villengard and you did that?" Jack asked.

"Bananas are good," The Doctor replied as if it solved all the world problems.

"Yeah, but I don't think a banana is going to save us now," Alice replied as she pulled out her Sonic wand and took up the right as the Doctor took the left.

The Patients were lumbering towards them like zombies and the panic began to settle with the group. Jack and Alice ended up side to side as they eyed the patients in slight worry. He eyed the sonic device in her hand and questioned who would make a wood stick sonic? Sonic didn't even work on wood.

"Anybody have any ideas?" Alice questioned as the Doctor took out his sonic screwdriver and pointed towards the other group of patients coming from the left hallway as the wall began to crack from the little boy inside the room.

"Okay. This can function as a sonic blaster, a sonic cannon, and as a triple-enfolded sonic disrupter, Alice has a lump of wood," Jack stated, "Doc, what you got?"

"I've got a sonic, er," The Doctor started before looking at his screwdriver, "Oh, never mind."

"What?" Jack asked.

"It's sonic, okay," The Doctor replied, "Let's leave it at that."

"Disrupter? Cannon? What?" Jack questioned.

"It's sonic, totally sonic, I am…soniced up," The Doctor stated.

"A sonic what?!" Jack yelled.

"Screwdriver!" The Doctor exclaimed.

"Oh for the love of," Rose stated before grabbing Jack's blaster and pointing it at the floor, "Going down!"

A hole was created underneath them and they dropped through. Rose grunted and almost laughed at the dog pile that was on the ground. Jack had landed on Alice and the Doctor landed on him. She could hear Alice laughing from underneath the two males. She went to the Doctor and helped him up to his feet.

"Are you okay?" Rose asked them.

Jack lifted his blaster and repaired the hole in the ceiling before standing up and helping Alice into a standing position. The Doctor looked towards her and looked for any kind of injury. There was a small spot on her cheek that was slowly bruising; it would stay for a while even while being an alien. There were some parts of them that were similar to humans, smaller wounds healed slowly and recent regenerators healed faster due to their cells being supercharged. It made sense as to why some of her cuts and bruises had healed so quickly now that he thought about it.

"We could've used a warning," The Doctor quipped to Rose.

"Oh the gratitude," Rose murmured.

"Who has a sonic screwdriver or stick?" Jack asked.

"I do," The Doctor and Alice replied.

"Who looks at a screwdriver and hunk of wood and thinks, ooo, this could be a little more sonic?" Jack sarcastically stated.

"What, you've never been bored?" The Doctor asked.

"It was given to me," Alice shrugged and joined Rose in her search for the lights.

"Have you never had a long night?" The Doctor questioned Jack, "Never had a lot of cabinets to put up?"

The two women found the light switch and flicked it with ease. Alice made a sound as they found out that they landed in a ward. The patients in the bed sat up and began their chant. Jack moved to shoot his blaster at the door and it let out a whirring sound as it powered up before powering down.

"Oh move over," Alice ordered as she pressed her sonic device to the door and opened the lock within seconds, "Everyone out!"

"Damn it!" Jack cursed as they all ran down the hallway, "It's the special features. They really drain the battery."

"The battery?" Rose questioned as the Doctor halted at a door and opened it with the screwdriver.

They headed in and slammed the door shut. Alice let out a sigh of relief as Rose turned to Jack with a look of disbelief on her face. She turned to Alice to ask if she thought similarly to her. She got a shrug in response as the Doctor began to look for a way out.

"That's so lame!" Rose informed Jack, "It requires a battery? Alice and the Doctor's don't."

"I was going to send for another one, but somebody's went and blew up the factory," Jack stated as he sent the Doctor a dirty look, which was ignored by the recipient.

"Oh I know," Rose stated, "First day I met him, he blew up my job, I think it's how he communicates."

"So the door should hold it for a bit," Alice stated in a light tone.

"The door?" Jack incredulously asked, "The wall didn't stop it!"

"Relax," Alice told him, "we need to find a way out right now and bickering amongst ourselves isn't helping, right now we need to figure out what assets we have."

"Well, I've got a banana, and in a pinch the Doctor could put up some shelves," Jack replied as he calmed down.

"Window," the Doctor motioned.

"Barred," Jack replied, "With a seven story drop outside."

"And no other exits," Rose added.

"Well, the assets conversation went in a flash," Jack stated as he sat down in a wheel chair, "didn't it?"

"So, where'd you pick this one up, then?" The Doctor asked Rose.

"Oi," Rose warned the Doctor.

"She was hanging from a barrage balloon, I had an invisible spaceship," Jack smiled, "I never stood a chance."

"Okay. One, we've got to get out of here," The Doctor stated, "Two, we can't get out of here. Have I missed anything?"

Jack pressed something on his watch and vanished from his spot in the wheelchair and the women who had noticed it stared at the empty black leather in surprise. Alice made a face at that and scratched behind her ear in confusion. She had never seen someone do that before.

"First time for everything I suppose," She muttered.

"Jack just disappeared," Rose told the Doctor.

He sat down in one of the many wheel chairs and began to wonder how the man had accomplished that. He knew quite a few technologies and species that had the technology to do that. He was attempting to make a list of what it couldn't be before making one of what it could be. Alice plopped down in a wheel chair and put her feet up on one that was across from her.

"Why is it always the good looking ones that vanish like that?" Rose questioned and the Doctor sent her a look at that as Alice chuckled.

"I making an effort not to be insulted," The Doctor informed them.

"Don't worry Doctor," Alice told him, "You have vanished before, you do it often in the Tardis."

"Okay, thanks, that really helped," He sarcastically stated.

They sat in silence as they looked around the store room for anything they could use. Old radios and medicine lined the shelves and wheel chairs were lying around the room. Alice took to braiding parts of her hair as she looked up at the ceiling. Rose wound up braiding parts of Alice's hair as well, it was a pretty good time waster and she had plenty of hair to do it. She didn't seem to mind either. The radio crackled to life and they all jumped in unison as two sonic devices appeared.

"Rose? Doctor? Alice?" Jack's voice crackled from the radio, "Can you hear me? I'm back on my ship."  
"Yeah, we hear you," Alice told him, "Thanks for the scare."

"I used the emergency teleport," Jack told them, "Sorry I couldn't take you. It's security-keyed to my molecular structure."

"Is there a way to override it?" Rose asked him.

"I'm working on it," Jack told her, "Hang in there."

"How're you speaking to us?" The Doctor asked.

"Om-com, I can call anything with a speaker grill," Jack replied.

"Now there's a coincidence," The Doctor stated as he got up from the wheel chair.

"What is?" Jack asked.

"The child can Om-Com, too," The Doctor informed him.

"He can?" Jack asked.

"Anything with a speaker grill," The Doctor confirmed.

"Even the Tardis phone," Alice added, "The child has Chula technology in him, but why?"

"I can hear you," The boy interrupted the Doctor before he could even reply to Alice; "I'm coming to find you, coming to find you."

"Doctor, can you hear that?" Jack questioned.

"Loud and clear," he replied.

"I'll try to block out the signal," Jack told them, "It's the least I can do, remember this one, Rose?"

A song began to play over the radio and blocked the signal from the child. Alice began humming to it without even realizing it as she looked towards the door. She used to listen to this song with her Grandmum when they baked together. Her Grandmum used to bring out the old record player and put an old jazz record on, this just happened to be one of her favorites.

"Moonlight serenade," Alice muttered, "Good choice in music."

"Our song," Rose sheepishly stated.

Alice chuckled and nodded as she relaxed a bit. The child wouldn't be able to get through the door. She doubted it was going to find them anytime soon since it seemed to be using the om-com to figure out where the people it wanted to find were. Rose joined her in her relaxation and closed her eyes slightly. Alice looked towards the Doctor and got up from her spot and walked over to the barred window.

"Are you trying to resonate concrete?" Alice quietly asked him, "I thought you told me that it was one of the few things you could resonate."

"I have to try," He muttered.

"Doctor," She got his attention, "What's bothering you?"

"It's nothing," He replied.

She sent him a look at that and he paused in his attempt to resonate the concrete. He would rather talk to her about his history away from the ears of Rose and Jack. He would most likely be emotionally drained from talking it out. He was prepared to do so, he had mentally prepared himself. He raised his brows at her and she gave him a tiny smile.

"Think he'll come back?" Rose asked.

"I dunno," Alice shrugged, "He might."

"I wouldn't bet my life," The Doctor told them.

"Didn't you say you were hanging from a barrage balloon?" Alice suddenly asked, "Are your hands okay?"

"Yeah, he fixed up my hands with some little machine that was on his ship," Rose replied, "So have you two ever danced before?"

"No, my job didn't leave much time for dancing," Alice informed her and the two girls shared a look.

"Did you two just assume that I don't dance?" The Doctor asked them.

"You telling us you do dance?" Rose asked him.

"Nine hundred years old, me. I've been around a bit," He replied, "I think you can assume at some point I've danced."

"That's hard to imagine," Rose commented, "Doesn't the universe implode or something if you dance?"

"Well, I've got the moves but I wouldn't want to boast," He replied.

Rose turned up the volume on the radio and winked at the two. Alice turned a deep shade of pink as the Doctor put away his sonic screwdriver. He held out a hand to her and quietly accepted it as Rose grinned at the two. He needed to relax a bit; she had faith in Jack that he'd get them out of the jam they were in. He swayed them from side to side and Alice let out a soft chuckle when he spun them around.

"I was beginning to worry that you had captain envy," Rose teased the Doctor.

"If ever he was a Captain, he's been defrocked," He replied.

"Actually, I quit. Nobody takes my frock," Jack's voice no longer sounded like it was coming from the radio and the three jumped in surprise, "Most people notice when they've been teleported. You guys are so sweet. Sorry about the delay. I had to take the nav-com offline to override the teleport security."

"We should do that again," Alice quietly told the Doctor, he smiled at her before looking around the ship and noting how messy it was which was a similar way his Tardis had been before Alice fell in.

"You can spend ten minutes overriding your own protocols?" The Doctor asked Jack as he made a face, "Maybe you should remember whose ship it is."

"Oh, I do. She was gorgeous. Like I told her, be back in five minutes," Jack joked.

"This is a Chula ship," The Doctor stated.

"Yeah, just like that medical transporter, only this one is dangerous," He replied.

The Doctor snapped his fingers and a golden glow enveloped his hands. It slowly moved through the air before stopping at Alice and fixing the bruise on her face and a spot on her upper arm. She moved her shirt and noticed a large bruise that had been forming there and wondered how she hadn't felt it.

"Those are what fixed my hands up," Rose stated, "Jack called them…"

"Nanobots?" The Doctor supplied as she attempted to remember the right word, "Nanogenes?"

"Nanogenes, that's it," Rose confirmed.

"Sub-atomic robots. There's millions of them in here, see? Burned my hand on the console when we landed. All better now," He informed them, "They activate when the bulk head's sealed. Check you out for damage, fix any physical flaws. Take us to the crash site. I need to see your space junk."

"As soon as I get the nav-com back online we can head out," Jack told them, "Make yourselves comfortable. I'll try to get done as fast as I can."

He filled them in on what he used to be. He himself used to be a time agent before trying his hand at conning them. He wasn't in it for the money, not really. He had his memories stolen by them and wanted to get back at them somehow. A con was the best idea he had at the time and he actually enjoyed his first con. Eventually the ship was ready to land and he dropped them off a little way from Limehouse Green.

"There it is," Jack stated and he perked up as he recognized the soldier on duty, "They've got Algy on duty, it must be important."

"We need to get past him," The Doctor stated.

"Are the words distract the guard heading in my general direction?" Rose asked.

"That's not a good idea, you aren't his type," Jack winked at her before heading towards the soldier that was stationed at the medical ship.

"Relax; he's a fifty first century guy. He's just a bit more flexible when it comes to dancing," The Doctor teased Rose.

"Just how flexible?" She asked.

"Well, by his time, you lot have spread out across half the galaxy," He replied.

"Oh god, we seeked new life just to procreate, didn't we?" Alice asked him, she didn't even think about the slip up and he nodded with a grin.

"Leave it to the human species," He joked, "You lot are insane."

The Soldier fell to his knees retching and the three ran forward to see if they could be of some help to the man. The Doctor immediately recognized the symptoms and pulled the two women away from him. Several soldiers moved to help their commander and Jack put a hand up to stop them as a gas mask formed on the soldiers face.

"Stay back," The Doctor ordered the soldiers.

"You men stay away and keep clear of the area," Jack ordered and the soldiers moved away from the immediate area, but still stayed close to keep an eye on their commander.

"The effect is becoming air-borne and accelerating," Alice stated.

"What's keeping us safe?" Rose asked.

"Nothing," The Doctor replied as the air-raid siren started up again.

"Here they come again," Jack stated as he looked up at the night sky.

"Do they not sleep or something?" Alice questioned and Jack shrugged how was he supposed to know?

"All we need," Rose muttered before a thought struck her, "Didn't you say a bomb was going to land here?"

"Don't worry about it," The Doctor told her, "If the contaminants airborne now, there's hours left."

"For what?" Jack questioned.

"Till nothing, forever," The Doctor replied, "For the entire human race."

"Can anyone else hear singing?" Alice asked as she heard the distant sound of someone singing.

They all headed towards a very small building and there sat Nancy in a chair, singing to a slumped over man. She looked terrified as she continued to sing the lullaby. It was an interesting way to defeat one of the patients. She made a quiet sound and Nancy looked over towards them but continued to sing. The Doctor moved forward and freed Nancy from the handcuffs that attached her to the table. They exited the small building and headed towards the tarp covered spacecraft. Alice and Rose turned on the light posts and turned them to face the ship.

"It's just an ambulance," Jack stated.

"That's an ambulance?" Nancy asked in confusion.

"Yeah, an ambulance from another world," Alice told her and got a look of surprise in response.

"They've been trying to get in," Jack told them as he hopped up the side and began to press keys on it.

"Of course they have. They think they've got their hands on Hitler's latest secret weapon," The Doctor stated, "What're you doing?"

"The sooner you see this thing is empty, the sooner you'll know I had nothing to do with it," Jack stated, the ship let out a loud bang and sparks began to fly from it.

He backed up from it as it sounded an alarm and began to flash a red light. Alice looked towards the Doctor and he raised a brow. She crossed her arms across her chest and gave him a crooked grin. He gave her a confused look.

"I'll tell you later, it's not the time or place for it," Alice told him, "Is this the emergency protocols?"

"What is that?" Rose asked as a loud banging filled the area.

The doors to the hospital began to move as something banged against it. Alice began to run her hand through her hand in a slightly aggressive way as she thought. She looked towards Nancy.

"Captain, secure those gates!" The Doctor ordered Jack.

"Don't argue Jack, just do it," Alice told him before she turned to Nancy, "Nancy, how'd you get in here?"

"I cut the wire," Nancy replied as Jack ran and ran a chain through the gate and locked it.

"C'mon, show me;" Alice told her, "We need to patch it up so the infected can't get in."

Nancy nodded and the two women started to head towards the direction of the barbed fence. The Doctor shook his head and made sure Alice knew one thing before she headed off.

"Setting two thousand four hundred and twenty eight D," The Doctor called.

"Thank you!" Alice called back.

Nancy and Alice ran past machine after machine as they headed towards the barbed fence. They ended towards the area where Nancy had crawled in. Alice pulled out her sonic wand and put it on the correct setting. She grabbed two of the wires in one hand and turned on the device to reconnect them. Nancy sat next to her and watched in amazement as metal appeared and connected between the two pieces of wire. Alice moved onto the next one and connected them.

"Who are you?" Nancy asked, "Who are any of you?"

"You'd never believe me if I told you," Alice replied.

"You just told me that was an ambulance from another world. There are people running around with gas mask heads calling for their mummies, and the sky's full of Germans dropping bombs on me," Nancy stated, "Tell me, do you think there's anything left I couldn't believe?"

"Good point," Alice commented, grasping onto another pair of wire, "I'm from the future, around sixty or so years."

"Mad you are," Nancy chuckled.

"I got here in a time travel machine, I wouldn't lie of you," Alice smiled at her, "If it makes you feel any better, the Germans lose."

"Do they?" Nancy asked with an ounce of hope in her voice.

"Yeah," Alice nodded, "sad thing is you can't really tell anyone, but you would know and that'll give you hope for a better future. All done, let's head back."

Nancy and Alice returned and the Doctor turned and gave a curt nod. His features softened slightly when he saw Alice and she gave him the smallest of smiles as Jack finally got the ambulance open. It was empty. From a certain point of view.

"It's empty, look," Jack stated.

"What'd you expect in a Chula medical transporter?" The Doctor asked, "Bandages? Cough drops?"

"Nanogenes," Alice stated.

"Correct," The Doctor smiled, "It wasn't empty, Captain, there was enough Nanogenes in there to rebuild a species."

"Oh, God," Jack actually sounded like he was going to be sick.

"Getting it now, are we?" The Doctor asked, "When the ship crashes, the Nanogenes escape. Billions upon billions of them, ready to fix all the cuts and bruises in the whole world. But what they find first is a dead child, probably killed earlier that night, and wearing a gasmask."

"They can bring things back to life?" Alice asked in surprise.

"What's life?" He replied, "Life's easy, a quirk of matter nature's way of keeping meat fresh that's nothing to a nanogene."

"That's actually terrifying," Alice softly stated.

"One problem, though, these Nanogenes, they're not like the ones on your ship," He pointed out to Jack, "This lot have never seen a human being before. Don't know what a human being's supposed to look like."

"And all they have as a template is a little body and there's not much left," Alice put in, "They tried to do what they are programed to do and patch him up the best they can."

"They can't tell what's gasmask and what's skull, but they do their best, then off they fly, off they go, work to be done," He continued, "Because, you see, now they think they know what people should look like, and it's time to fix all the rest. And they won't ever stop. They won't ever, ever stop. The entire human race is going to be torn down and rebuilt in the form of one terrified child looking for its mother, and nothing in the world can stop it!"

"I didn't know," Jack stated as the Doctor turned to work on the transport to see if he could get it to stop releasing the Nanogenes.

"Alice," Nancy quietly called as she stepped closer to the taller brunette.

"Don't worry," Alice told her, "The Doctor can figure it out; he's smarter than his ears lead you to believe."

That got a smile out of Nancy and the Doctor ignored the need to give Alice a glare to show his dislike at her cracking at his ears. The cold bit at his hands as he worked and Jack joined him and they moved quickly as they started to move things inside the transport to get it to do what they wanted. The chant of _mummy_ filled the air and Nancy gave out a small shiver of fear.

"It's bringing the gas mask people here," Rose noted, "isn't it?"

"The ship thinks it's under attack, it's calling up the troops, standard protocol," The Doctor replied.

"Is this a battle-field ambulance?" Alice asked.

"Why would it matter?" Rose asked.

"Battle-field medicine is designed to make it so that you can be patched up and put back in action," Alice replied.

"The Nanogenes also program you to be stronger and more equipped for battle," The Doctor continued, "It's why it's so strong, it's a fully equipped Chula warrior, all that weapons tech in the hands of a hysterical four year old looking for his mummy, and now there's an army of them."

The patients made it through the gate but couldn't make it through the barbed wire. They marched towards the small group and they all backed up towards each other and eyed the patients with concern and fear. The patients stopped until they were surrounded, but given enough space to stand without touching them.

"Why don't they attack?" Jack asked.

"Good little soldiers, waiting for their commander," The Doctor replied.

"The child?" Jack asked.

"Jamie," Nancy snapped.

"How long until the bomb falls?" Alice asked.

"Any second," Jack replied after looking at his watch.

"A bit close to the volcano for you?" The Doctor questioned.

"He's just a little boy," Nancy stated her voice cracking as tears gathered in her eyes.

"I know," The Doctor softly replied.

"He's just a little boy who wants his mummy," she continued.

"There isn't a little boy born who wouldn't tear the world apart to save his mummy," The Doctor stated, "And this little boy can."

"What're we going to do?" Rose asked.

"I don't know," He replied.

"It's my fault," Nancy stated and Alice blinked in sudden understanding.

"Nancy, what age are you? Twenty? Twenty one? Older than you look, yes?" Alice asked and Nancy looked down at her feet.

"The bomb is getting closer, we have seconds left," Jack stated.

"You can teleport us out," Rose offered.

"Not you guys. The nav-com's back online," Jack told her, "It's going to take too long to override the protocols."

"So it's volcano day. Do what you've got to do," The Doctor told him.

"How old were you five years ago late teens? Old enough to give birth it seems," Alice softly stated, "He's not your brother, is he? He deserves to know the truth Nancy; it's time to let him know."

"I don't want him to hate me," Nancy replied.

"He won't," Alice stated, "Tell him. Nancy, the future of the human race is in your hands. Trust me and tell him."

Nancy stood up straighter and gathered her courage as she walked towards her son. She felt her heart lurch at the sight of him and she held her tears back as he looked up at her and tilted his head.

"Are you my mummy?" Jamie asked her.

"I am your mummy," Nancy confirmed.

"Mummy? " He asked.

"I'm here," Nancy quietly told him.

"Are you my mummy?"

"I'm here."

"Are you my mummy?"

"Yes."

"Are you my mummy?"

The group that had been left behind watched with varying looks of sadness. Jamie didn't seem to understand as he kept asking the same question again and again. Nancy was slowly breaking down in front of them and Alice's heart went out to her. She didn't know how she would feel if someone she loved couldn't understand her, or even recognize her.

"He doesn't understand," The Doctor stated, "There's not enough of him left."

"I am your mummy. I will always be your mummy," Nancy told her son, "I'm so sorry. I am so, so sorry."

She dropped to her knees and pulled her son into her arms. A cloud of Nanogenes surrounded them and it lit up the area in a soft golden glow. Even with the sounds of bombs surrounding them, it was a sight to behold. The Doctor moved forward and placed a hand on his chin as he began to get anxious.

"Come on, please. Come on, you clever little Nanogenes," He muttered, "Figure it out! The mother, she's the mother. It's got to be enough information. Figure it out."

"Yes!" Alice cheered as the Nanogenes seemed to recognize the parent DNA and Jamie fell back from his mum.

They all moved forward and the Doctor knelt in front of Jamie and Nancy as he hoped that something good was going to happen. He needed one day like this. He needed a day where no one died. He ran a hand down his face.

"Oh, come on. Give me a day like this. Give me this one," He muttered and he removed Jamie's mask, he happily laughed at the confused child and picked him up, "Welcome back! Twenty years till pop music - you're going to love it."

"What happened?" Nancy asked.

"The Nanogenes recognized the superior information from the parent DNA, you saved him Nancy," Alice told her as she hugged the brunette.

"Mother knows best!" The Doctor quipped.

"Oh, Jamie," Nancy sighed as the Doctor handed him over to her.

"Doctor, what about the bomb?" Rose asked as she looked up at the sky.

"Taken care of it with a little old fashion psychology," The Doctor told her.

A bomb hurtled towards them and got close before it was caught in a blue beam before impact. Jack appeared on top of the bomb and Alice chuckled at that as he winked and tipped his hat at her. The Doctor gave a maniac grin at the sight of the human and Rose gave a quiet sigh of relief that she wasn't going to get killed by a bomb. Her mum would raise her from the dead to kill her again, after murdering the Doctor.

"Good lad!" The Doctor told Jack.

"The bomb's already commenced detonation. I've put it in stasis but it won't last long," Jack told him.

"Change of plan. Don't need the bomb. Can you get rid of it, safely as you can?" He asked.

"Rose?" Jack called and she perked up.

"Yeah?" Rose asked.

"Goodbye, and Alice," Jack called, "You aren't half bad."

He vanished and Alice stood there with an insulted expression on her face. How was she not 'half bad'? How'd she insult him with barley five hours of knowing him? She had a new record, only her sergeant hated her and that was because she insulted her first. She found it strange, hopefully she could change that. He reappeared again and had a grin on his face.

"By the way ladies, love the t-shirts," He told them before vanishing again.

The spaceship sucked up the beam and flew off. The Doctor summoned the Nanogenes to himself and the two time travelers stayed quiet and watched as he flicked his hands at the patients and the cloud traveled towards them and they fell to the ground. He then turned towards Alice and grinned at her like a giddy child.

"Everybody lives! Just this once, everybody lives!" He happily exclaimed.

Alice laughed with him as she noticed something and rushed off. Doctor Constantine almost jumped in surprise when the young woman headed towards him with a grin. He relaxed slightly and knew that she and that man with her had helped solve everything.

"Doctor Constantine, you never left your patients and now your back on your feet," Alice told him, "It seems that he world doesn't want to get by without you just yet, and I don't blame it one bit. These are your patients. Healthy as can be."  
"Yes, yes, so it seems. They also seem to be standing around in a disused railway station. Is there any particular reason for that?" Constantine asked.

"Cutbacks," Alice immediately replied as she remembered what the Nanogenes could do with actual life, "Listen, whatever was wrong with them in the past, you're probably going to find that they're cured. Don't make a big thing of it. Okay?"

She quickly left as an old woman hobbled up to the man and she smiled as she heard his excuse for her leg growing back. Miscounting legs was something that could've been possible. She linked arms with Rose and the Doctor as they headed back to the Tardis while waving. The Doctor had rigged the ship to go off when all of the people had cleared out and he knew it wouldn't take too long, after all history said a bomb went off there. Who was he to deny history? They entered the Tardis and she wheezed in greeting as the two girls plopped down on the small sofa.

"The Nanogenes will clean up the mess and switch themselves off, because I just told them to," The Doctor told them, "Nancy and Jamie will go to Doctor Constantine for help, ditto. All in all, all things considered, fantastic!"

"Look at you, beaming away like you're Father Christmas," Rose commented.

"Who says I'm not, red bicycle when you were twelve?" He commented at her.

"What?" Rose and Alice asked.

"Everybody lived! I need more days like this," He stated.

"What about Jack," Alice pointed out.

"I'm working on that," He replied with a smile as he played Moonlight serenade and she eyed him in disbelief, "Mind getting the door, love?"

Alice sent him a look at that and went to the Tardis doors and opened them. She was staring into Jack's spaceship and Jack stared at her in surprise before she leaned against the door way. He looked at her in confusion. She wasn't going to turn out to be evil, was she?

"Need a lift cowboy?" She grinned at him.

He quickly got up from the captain's chair and downed his drink before heading into the Tardis. He looked around in amazement as the doors were closed behind him. The brunette walked past him and smiled as she joined a grinning Rose. The Doctor pulled them into the time cortex as the song continued to play.

"Welcome to the Tardis," The Doctor told Jack.

"Much bigger on the inside," Jack commented.

"You'd better be," He was told.

"Play nice," Alice quietly chided.

"Would you like this dance?" Rose asked Jack.

He grinned at her and removed his coat and hung it on the railings before taking her hand and beginning a slow dance. Alice watched with a small smile on her face before stretching slightly and rolling her shoulders. She was a bit exhausted from all the running they did and she looked at the Doctor in slight admiration at the fact that he seemed unaffected from it. She wondered why she slept like a human still and he didn't have to. The man could go for days without sleeping and she worried about him sometimes. The music changed to swing and Alice chuckled as Jack easily changed in time to the music. She turned on her heel and headed towards her room to think for a while, Rose's laugh followed her as she went down the hallway and entered her room.

The soft sound of rain greeted her after she closed her door. She closed her eyes and sighed in quiet relief. She needed some time in a nice ambience to write what she's learned. She sat down at her desk and noticed that everything was clean and put away. A smile crossed her face and she pulled the blue journal towards her and grabbed her pen. Flipping to a new page she passed passages of what had happened during each of her adventures with the Doctor and she stared at the picture of a void creature before moving towards the clean page and began to write. Her scrawled script flowed across the page and within seconds she had everything written down. A knock sounded on her door and she turned towards it and got up from her chair. She opened the door and the Doctor stood there with a small smile on his face.

"We need to talk," He told her.

"According to most people those words are relationship enders," She chuckled as she motioned for him to come in.

He walked in and sat on the edge of the bed. She reclaimed her spot on her chair and crossed her legs.

"What'd you want to talk about?" Alice asked him.

"Everything," He admitted, "Don't know where to start."

"How about the beginning," She offered.

He took in a deep breath and began to tell her about his past, from the earliest memory he could remember to his years at school. She listened with rapt attention as he explained how he and his first wife had been the product of an arranged marriage that ended up being a fond one even though she had been looking for her bonded. His children who had grown up to have children of his own and his favorite grandchild who he hadn't spoken to in years. She stayed quiet and listened as he finally let everything out, all the companions who eventually left him in the end, the time war and the atrocities he had performed in the name of the _greater good_ for his planet. She learned about the moment and that's when he eventually cracked and his tears began to fall. Alice got up from her spot and wrapped her arms around him.

"Doctor listen to me," She quietly stated as he sobbed into her shoulder, "Nothing you just said will make me ever think any less of you, you told me about your life I think it's fair that I do the same."

He turned to look at her and noticed the expression on her face as she quietly told him of her life. Her mum and dad had met in college while studying physics and two years later they were married with her on the way. The two Smiths worked well paying jobs, her dad an accountant with a hobby for science and her mum a worker at a science lab in the government, and doted on her but reminded her that hard work was better than getting everything handed to her. He chuckled at the story of how she started a brawl when she was six at a Christmas play at her Grandmum's favorite church, it was fitting that she was playing Lucifer and had punched the kid playing God in the face. Her school years had been filled with bullying from her peers from being different the word _freak_ had been tossed at her since she started. He knew that she was more inclined for peaceful environments and was easily excitable to learn new things, he didn't know that it was an actual character trait that she inherited from her mum's side of the family.

He already knew about her parents death at the hand of a robber, but hadn't known that her uncle had been given guardianship over her until it was found that he had been neglecting her and making her stay out of the house all the time by pushing her out the door and locking it behind her. She had a happier childhood when her Grandmum got her and sent her to a Christian school where her good grades made it easy to get A levels and a spot in a nice university. Her life turned dark as she entered the investigation forces and he listened in shock as she told him about her first assignment. A secret one from the crown, apparently the Queen has handpicked her from her file, that involved hunting down a crime syndicate and shutting them down in a discrete manner. Assassination wasn't something normally taught in the academy, but she had been ambitious and accepted it.

She knew it could've ruined her chances for continuing her life if she had been caught, but she had wanted to prove herself. A look of self hatred appeared on her face as she recounted each death in a simple manner and he held her closer. She had completed the mission with flying colors and gained her first promotion and it slowly turned normal as she talked about the different cases. She even told him about the man who drugged her, apparently he had been blackmailing some important officials and she had been sent to get evidence and arrest him. He had eventually partnered up with her and caught a murderer and gained himself a pardon. Her life eventually calmed down with a few cases of murder every so often and eventually she ended up on the Tardis.

"I never pegged you for an ambitious woman," He commented as they laid together on the bed, he was emotionally and mentally drained at the moment.

"I was different three years ago," Alice shrugged, "that bloody assignment changed everything, put things in perspective."

"You're bright you could've been a scientist and yet you continued," He stated.

"I owed it to my parents to make sure others didn't end up like I did, I never did find the robber who killed them," She muttered she turned and buried her face in his red jumper, "it was horrible not knowing, had nightmares for years afterwards."

"Even now?" He asked.

She was quiet for a few seconds and he tightened his arms around her.

"Sometimes, it's very rare," She admitted as her voice grew exhausted.

They went quiet and the gentle sound of rain enveloped the room again. Her breathing evened out and he looked down to see she had fallen asleep on him. He smiled fondly at her, she knew his name now and he wondered how long it would take her to call him by it. The Tardis turned off the lights but kept the sound of rain and it lulled him to sleep as well.


End file.
